


Beautiful Dangerous

by babyitsbeautiful



Series: Beautiful Dangerous [1]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV), Hobbs & Shaw (2019), minor - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bounty Hunter and Target, Bounty Hunting, Espionage, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff bc I Can't Help It, Hattie Shaw MI6 Badass, Jaqen H'Ghar is mentioned, MI6, Mentions of Rape, Naath, Olenna and Davos are bffs, Pod is strong and silent, Sam is wicked smart, Sandor is grumpy per usual, Smut, The Smut starts in Chapter 6, Tormund and Arya are bffs, faceless men - Freeform, jealous! Gendry, nymeria - Freeform, prompt from tumblr, spy shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 10:24:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 137,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19944622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyitsbeautiful/pseuds/babyitsbeautiful
Summary: He knows in his gut this is going to end in either two ways. One, everything goes smoothly, and he brings her back alive and in one piece, or two, veryverywrong.WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://youtu.be/2zE-AuWQLT0





	1. Prologue; Gendry

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to @daughters-ofwinterfell for this wonderful post that inspired this fic.
> 
> <https://daughters-ofwinterfell.tumblr.com/post/186478981519/gendrya-bounty-hunter-target-au>
> 
> It's also partly inspired by Fergie & Slash's "Beautiful Dangerous" hence the title.

He didn’t know much, but one thing he did know for sure in this moment, is that he is utterly _fucked_. He darts in and out of the crowds of people minding the busy street, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.

He’s exposed, he knows this, but he’s just trying to get inside, anywhere _she_ isn’t.

He hadn’t expected to run into her again so soon. Just a week ago he was sneaking out of her apartment the following morning she took him home. They had a few drinks and a good night together, but he didn’t want anything more after that. She managed to text him a few times wanting to hook up again, texts he successfully dodged. That is until he spotted her across the courtyard walking out of an expensive fashion boutique.

If he can just make it back to his apartment without her eyeing him, he’d be in the clear. _Just a few more blocks_ , he thinks to himself subtly upping his pace just a bit. He turns back around trying to see if she’s still walking casually in his direction. He doesn’t see her, so he sighs turning back around only to run right into.

Fuck. Her.

“Gendry?” She’s busy picking up her shopping bags off the ground while he stands there in complete bewilderment.

“Oh, hey Jeyne, I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

She gives him a smile standing back up to face him directly, “That’s okay. I’m glad I ran into actually; I was wondering if you got my texts.”

He scratches the back of his neck nervously, sweat now forming in the cool spring air.

“Yeah I did, I meant to respond, I’ve just been busy with work y’know.”

“So, do you have some free time this weekend maybe? We could get a drink or something.”

Fuck, he needs to get out of this without being too harsh. For him it was a one-time thing, as bad as that sounds. He’s usually not that type of guy, but he really doesn’t have the capacity to start a new relationship right now. 

“Well, actually...” Shit, he needs a good reason.

“I’m going out of town soon for work and I don’t know when I’ll be back.” As far as she was concerned, he was a mechanic that traveled to different shops to help out wherever he was needed. He didn’t feel like explaining to her what he _really does_ or what he _used_ to do. Telling her the latter would be a huge mistake.

Jeyne gives him a sad smile, hopeful demeaner dropping tremendously, “Okay then, maybe when you get back, you have my number.”

She gives him a small wave as she walks away. Something about the way she said that makes him realize she definitely doesn’t have strong hopes for a reunion anytime soon.

He feels bad that he brushed her off so easily, but with his line of work, it’s hard to get close to people. He’s actually helping _her_ out by rejecting her. _She’s better off_ , he tells himself to help ease his guilt. 

The remaining walk back to his apartment is uneventful, thoughts remaining on how he feels like he probably just broke this poor girl’s heart. He thought she might really like him and he all but told her he never wanted to see her again in so many words.

He unlocks the door to his apartment and as soon as he opens it and walks in, his instincts and training go into overdrive.

Nothing is out of place, and the lights are still off. But he _knows_ he’s not alone. He feels the stranger across the room, in the dark, with not even a shadow giving way to his presence.

Ready to defend himself if he must, he flips on the light ready to meet his awaiting guest.

The grey-haired main moves his eyes away from the window to the man by the front door.

“Gendry. It’s nice to see you. It’s been awhile and yet you still look like shit.”

Gendry visibly relaxes once he sees his visitor is nothing but an old friend, mentor, and former boss. 

Fuck, this isn’t good.

“Davos, you’re still has charming as ever I see. I’m surprised you aren’t dead yet, your grey hair has grey hair.”

The older man laughs heartedly, “You’re a hard man to find.”

Gendry takes off his jacket and throws it on the couch, “That’s because I wasn’t trying to be found. At least not by you or any of your subordinates.”

He sits down on the couch while Davos remains in his standing position by the window.

“Do I want to know why you are here?”

Davos walks away from the window but doesn’t sit down, Gendry senses this isn’t a social call.

“I have a new bounty for you.” Davos stares him down, lips in a fine line meaning he’s strictly here on business.

“Do _you_ have a bounty for me, or do _they_ do?”

Davos decides it’s time to take a seat.

“I think you already know the answer to that, son,”

Gendry sighs fearing he’s right. Davos Seaworth is a good man; he wouldn’t come to Gendry unless it was important.

He first met Davos when he joined MI6 straight out of high school. The old man took a liking to him right away, training him every step of the way until Gendry became a full-time field agent. Davos had retired from field work _years_ before that, only using his knowledge after that in the classroom, on the training field and behind the scenes on missions. Gendry and Davos became close, he considered him the father he never had. When Gendry finally got out of the agency, he hoped they would remain close, but ultimately Davos’ career and Gendry’s full-time bounty hunting kept that from happening.

It’s not like he departed on bad terms with Davos or MI6, but he swore he was done killing people as a job and a means to an end. Bounty hunting seemed like a good way to go, he could still be an asset and use his training and skills without all the unnecessary bloodshed.

Gendry sighs, knowing there’s no use in even attempting to turn him down, it’s futile. If _they_ want something from him, they’re going to damn well get it.

“Who is it?”

Davos folds his arms across his chest, “No one.”

Gendry leans his head back on the couch, _“Bloody hell.”_

“According to our intel, she seems to have reappeared just south of Dorne.”

 _Great, looks like I’ll be going out of town after all. At least I didn’t lie to the poor girl_ , Gendry muses to himself almost smiling.

Davos reaches to the side of the couch and pulls a manila folder out of a bag just on the floor. He throws the folder on the coffee table where Gendry can reach it.

Gendry grabs the folder and opens it reluctantly, “And we still don’t know what she looks like?”

Davos tries to smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes, “Aye. She wouldn’t be the best _Faceless Man_ there ever was if she gave away her identity so easily.”

The Faceless Men or more commonly known as TFM to the agency is a group of dangerous vigilantes and mercenaries, who take it upon themselves to rid the world of the worst of the worst, feeling as if though the more proper law enforcement can’t seem to be up to the task. They swoop in, take out their intended target, and then vanish without a trace. They call themselves ‘No One’ when asked their name and use multiple identities or _faces_ to be able to be unseen and hide in plain sight. Only within the last two years was MI6 able to take down the entire organization including their elusive leader, Jaqen H'ghar.

However, one former member remains in the game and she was once considered the most dangerous of them all, Arya Stark. No matter how many times she was almost captured, she evaded each and everyone of them every time. Nobody from MI6 including Davos and Gendry knows what she looks like, they only know of her name and her nickname on the streets, Nymeria. Now it seems she is back to her old ways after laying low for almost a year after TFM were dismantled.

Gendry reads her file nervously, brows scrunched in frustration, “So you’ve heard nothing from her in a year and now all of sudden she’s resurfaced and back to killing?”

Davos nods, “Aye. We need you to bring her in, alive. She’ll be charged with her crimes and most likely put to death. It all depends on how her trial goes.”

Davos hands him another folder, this time with train tickets inside, “When do I leave?”

Davos stands up and makes his way to the door, “Tonight. We have word of where she might be and it’s a very small window.”

Gendry sighs rubbing a hand over his face.

He knows in his gut this is going to end in either two ways. One, everything goes smoothly, and he brings her back alive and in one piece, or two, very _very_ wrong.

He makes his way into his bedroom to pack his bags while Davos makes a quiet exit but not before leaving him a burner phone for communication on his coffee table.

Deep down, in his very soul, he knows it’s going to be the latter.


	2. I Don't Know Who You Are Now, Mystery Drenches My Brain

Present Day- Storm's End to Dorne

The train ride to Dorne is abnormally quiet. Gendry was sure he’d have to deal with a lot of restless travelers, but to his surprise the train cab he is assigned to is spacious and almost vacant. Apart from an elderly couple, two teenagers each riding solo, and a neat businessman who cares way too much about his appearance, it’s just Gendry left alone with his thoughts. Usually when he travels by train, he finds a nice fellow passenger to chat with for the duration of the trip. It must be from him growing up in foster homes his whole life; he always met new people and never found it hard to make new friends.

He’s cautious, he knows from his training to expect the unexpected. He’s not sure if Arya or any of her contacts are onto his chase of her and if she is, she could have any one at any time take him out. He shudders at the thought. Gendry was never one to be afraid while out on the job, but this isn’t his typical bounty either. Arya Stark is dangerous, _and_ deadly. As much training as Gendry has had in the past, he’s never gone up against someone quite like her before and he knows he’s about to meet his match.

He has to hand it to her though, her certain skillset and capabilities are pretty impressive. Not just anyone can do what she does, and he finds her intriguing to say the least. But he also _blames_ her.

Gendry was a part of the team that took down TFM’s headquarters and lead to the capture, arrest, and execution of Jaqen H’ghar. But the last time the agency tried to capture Arya Stark herself, only days before Jaqen was arrested, his team was caught in the crossfire of the raid and his partner, Edric Storm, lost his life because of it. After TFM was taken down for good, he knew he had to get out, rules and regulations be damned. He was done with that life. Ironically the same person who was ultimately the reason he got out of that life once and for all is the same reason he finds himself dragged back into it in some weird, twisted way.

He shakes those thoughts away and tries to focus back on the present task at hand. He finds the down time to catch up on his assign- no _bounty_. _It’s not an assignment,_ he thinks to himself, _just a simple bounty to bring in and be done with._

He goes through her file one more time before he reaches his destination. He already knows everything the agency knows about Arya, but he feels as if the more he studies her, the easier she’ll be to catch. If he can find a way to get under her skin, maybe just for a moment she’ll let her guard down. All he knows about her childhood is that she grew up wealthy, went a fancy private school and didn’t have many friends. The few friends she did have were boys as her older sister Sansa and her friends liked to pick on Arya frequently. They’d call her ‘Arya Horseface’ and tell her how much she resembled a boy rather than a young lady. She was reprimanded one time by the King’s court for punching his eldest son in the face. The report doesn’t say why exactly, only that Arya’s answer when asked the reason for the crime was, ‘he had it coming.’ One of the only records of any formal training Arya had as a child was that of Water Dancing. Her weapon of choice was a very thin blade she’d named ‘needle’ and she never went anywhere without it. He imagines she still has it to this day.

He takes out a newspaper article from her childhood that he’s read a thousand times before:

_King’s Hand and Family Dies in a Single Car Accident_

_The King’s Hand, Eddard Stark along with his wife Catelyn Tully Stark, and two sons, Robb and Rickon Stark perish in a tragic car accident yesterday early morning. His second youngest son, Bran Stark survived but is paralyzed from the waist down. Fortunately, Lord Stark’s two daughters were not in the vehicle at the time of the accident. Arya and Sansa Stark remain in Winterfell with their cousin, Jon Snow where their family and close friends will hold a vigil for their fallen family members and stay close to Bran Stark, who remains in critical care. Sansa, Arya, and Bran Stark will be under the care of their maternal Aunt, Lysa Tully Arryn, for the remainder of their childhood. The cause of the accident remains under investigation._

He finds a sheet of notes from a child physiologist. The words, ‘Traumatized’ and ‘Survivor’s Guilt’ seem to be repeated the most.

He finds another article dated not long after the accident. The headline reads; “Arya Stark Missing, Search Underway.”

The Faceless Men have been around for centuries, recruiting new members as young as only ten years old. Agencies like his former know of their dealings, how they operate, and who they target the most. Other people, however, only hear of rumors, fable bedtime stories mothers and fathers would tell their children. He supposes Arya heard of them at a young age and decided to take it upon herself to see if the rumors were true.

The word on the street within the agency is that Arya Stark ran away after her family’s death to find the person responsible and found herself across the narrow sea in Braavos training to be a Faceless Man at a very young age. It was later revealed during a lengthy investigation that The King and The King’s Hand’s trusted advisor; Petyr Baelish was in fact the person who orchestrated her family’s murder in order to gain a higher title within the kingdom. He was also rumored to be Arya’s first kill as a TFM. MI6 has yet to confirm that theory.

More news articles:

_The Faceless Men members evade arrest, Jaqen H’ghar still at large._

_The Faceless Men responsible for recent string of murders. How far will they go?_

He gets there reasoning, he really does. They find the worst people out there and dispose of them like the trash they are. Rapists, serial killers, and thieves alike. But he just can’t condone civilians, regardless of training or skillset, taking it upon themselves to do what law enforcement has the legal capacity to do. Especially when they don’t mind young children joining their crusade, that is something he definitely does not approve of. And the fact that they use innocent’s faces as a means to an end makes his blood boil.

He can’t imagine what Arya’s mindset was like back then, having lost half her family and then giving away her identity to catch the man responsible. And how she could leave behind her other siblings to do such a thing he’ll never be able to fathom. Maybe he’ll get the chance to ask her one day, assuming she doesn’t try to kill him while doing so.

As Gendry goes over Arya’s file, again and again, he anxiously waits for his contact on the train to deliver him the details of where he will be able to locate Arya later that night.

He orders one more drink from the passing beverage cart and relaxes back into his seat, nerves seeming to get the better of him.

Before he has the chance to flip through the remaining pages, he feels a shadow approach his table and lay a small envelope down in front of him before disappearing again into the next cab.

He picks up the envelope and drops its contents. It’s a google listing of an address and the name of the location Arya is known by a reliable source to be at later.

He sighs running a hand through his short hair, “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

__________________________________

Arya- Two Days Ago

Arya stands on the pier overlooking the summer sea, wind whipping through her natural brunette hair with the glowing afternoon sun warming her entire body. She feels at peace here, like she’s able to just be Arya. Not ‘no one,’ not ‘Nymeria,’ just Arya Stark. She doesn’t need another face or a different hair color, not a single person in Dorne knows who she really is or where she comes from. She can be whoever she wants to be, and right now she just wants this day to be over with. She figures why not reveal her true face and let that be her guide. Her young, delicate features give her enough coverage to blend in just about anywhere so she might as well use that to her advantage. The years have been kind to Arya as far as her natural appearance goes. She hasn’t had to use a spare ‘face’ in quite some time, and for that she is thankful.

She knows she’s wanted; she’s always known that. She’s even heard recently that MI6 has gotten more creative with their tactics to track her down. It’s never slowed her down before, Arya is well aware she can handle whatever or _whoever_ comes her way. They don’t even know what she really looks like, so as long as she keeps that façade up, she’ll always be in the clear.

With the help of a former contact within TFM, she is about to learn where her next intended target will be. She’s been looking for him non-stop since the group was dismantled a year before and this is the closest, she has ever gotten. Nothing will stand in her way of taking this piece of shit out once and for all. After that, she vowed she’s done with killing. She just wants to be free.

She first heard of Meryn Trant on the streets of King’s Landing, just a few years after joining TFM. A young girl around her age, maybe 14 or 15, was found by Arya crying in an alleyway near flea bottom. At the time, Arya wore the face of a pretty blonde, searching for a man who had just murdered a family of six along the King’s Road to Winterfell. That one hit home for Arya and she wanted the kill all to herself. She got what she wanted but not before listening to the crying girl tell her story of a man who would force himself upon _very_ young girls and rape and beat them, herself included.

Once the girl told Arya his name, that was all it took. He was officially on her list. 

Trant has been very good at not getting caught, always on the move, never staying in one place too long for fear of someone catching onto his heinous acts. Arya has been after the bastard for years, and now tonight, she’s finally going to put an end to him.

Enjoying the breeze from the sea, she closes her eyes if only for a fleeting moment, breathing in the sweet salty air.

A man appears beside her, enjoying the same view, but never looking in her direction.

“Nymeria, I presume?”

Arya opens her eyes to marvel at the caramel colored sunset once more, “Do you have something for me?”

He slides her a small envelope across the railing, “This is where he will be, well into the night.”

Arya opens the package, eyebrows scrunching in annoyance.

The man ignores any compliant she is about to give him, “Management thinks you’re a new transfer from across town. They’ll provide you with the right outfit and security.”

“If this info fails me, I _will_ find you.”

The man nods his head at her vague, but serious threat and keeps his eyes focused on the sea, unmoving.

Arya sighs, “Leave. I’m done with you.”

The man nods once more before walking away quickly.

Arya sighs stuffing the envelope into the inside pocket of her leather jacket. She has a strange feeling tonight is going to change her life forever. She can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

The man walks back the way he came from, well out of sight of Arya and grabs his phone from his pocket to make a call.

“It’s done. She has the information you requested.”

___________________________________

Gendry opens the door to his hotel room and throws his bag on the bed. It’s a shit hole that’s for sure but it’s low key and cheap. With any lucky, he won’t be spending much time here at all. His plan is to grab his bounty and catch the next train back to Storm’s End. Davos owes him big time for this one, that he is positive of.

He wastes no time showering and changing into his best suit, heading out in a cab he just ordered minutes before. The cab driver gives him a disturbing look when he tells him where to drop him off at but says nothing.

Before the driver decides to make small talk, the burner phone Davos gave him before he left rings loudly in his pocket.

“Hello?”

“It is confirmed Arya Stark will be at the location we gave you. Get in and get her out, discreetly.”

Gendry grins, “Well hello to you to Davos.”

Davos is not amused, “Focus, son. Call me when you have her. And _only_ when you have her. If things go sideways, we never spoke of any of this.” 

Gendry is starting to get annoyed, “Can we just stop with the formality bullshit please? I’m not an agent anymore. She’s my bounty. I’m picking her up and bringing her back. That’s it. I know how to do my job and watch my own back, okay?”

Davos sighs, but doesn’t argue, “Aye.”

With that, they both hang up and Gendry sinks into the backseat of the cab.

A few minutes later, the cab reaches his destination.

After paying and tipping the driver, Gendry subtly gets a good look at his surroundings. The parking lot is full, mostly of foreign cars he can’t pronounce the name of.

The neon sign lights up brightly making him squint just to get a look at the door.

“Gentleman Jack’s, classy.” Gendry says to himself walking slowly inside.

He gives his name to security waiting by the front entrance while showing them his badge and holstered gun at the same time.

“I’m looking for someone, thought they might be here,” he says nonchalantly.

The husky security guard is not in the mood, “Find them yourself. And get the fuck out of my lobby.”

Gendry laughs stuffing his badge back into his pocket.

He walks in, eyeing the place trying to remember every exit and entry point and anyone who might be carrying apart from himself.

There are three bars, four stages with dancer’s poles, and a private lounge area. At least one security guard holds the two exits each and they both look to be carrying at least one Glock and a spare.

He scans the room, looking for any familiar faces to no avail. The guests of the evening’s focus tend to stay on the entertainment on stage, beautiful women clad in sparkly lingerie, leaving nothing to the imagination.

He walks closer inside to get a better look at everyone when his attention suddenly shifts to the brunette dancing on the stage just to his left.

His breath hitches as his blue eyes meet her grey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gendry and Arya meet next chapter!


	3. I Wanna Jump Deep Into Your Mouth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're a Bounty Hunter?" She laughs, whole body shaking with vibration.  
> Yeah, he's definitely pissed. This is a fucking disaster.

Present Day- Dorne

Surely to all the Gods he must be dreaming. He blinks a few times trying to see if his eyes are deceiving him or not.

Grey eyes.

Nope, he’s definitely awake and she’s on the stage dancing seductively right in front of him.

He walks slowly towards the stage, unsure if it’s really her or just someone who resembles the girl he’s dreamed about constantly for the past five years.

Vivid flashes of tangled limbs and dirty sheets fill his mind to the brim. This can’t be happening. But oh, how he wants it to happen more than anything.

Her eyes are the same, big grey ones he can get lost in, but the rest of her is different. Older and a little tired he sees. Like life has gotten the better of her and she’s completely exhausted from it. That’s not the girl he remembers, but then again a lot can happen in five years’ time. It surely has for him.

She’s hardly wearing anything, an ensemble of black lingerie covering everything it should, intertwined with a dozen straps to hold the piece together at the center of her stomach with a silver ring encircled around her diamond belly button ring. Her hair is down in long waves, stopping right below her shoulders and her thigh high black boots makes her legs go on for days. She looks, good.

His breath catches in his throat and his mouth goes dry at the mere sight of her.

He stops just inches away and manages to breath out a name he hasn’t said in five years, “Arry?”

She looks at him up and down while spinning and dancing along to the thumping rhythm of the music and says, “Fancy seeing you here.”

He almost smiles, almost. “What the bloody hell are you doing here?”

“What does it look like stupid; I’m _trying_ to make money.”

Gendry relaxes slightly, “You made quite the career change I see.” There’s a little venom and offense in his words, because this is so unlike _her_.

Gendry first met Arry, or rather Aryiana, in Naath about five years ago. He had come off a six-month long mission and was given liege for a short vacation on the island. He stumbled into a darkly lit pub that Thursday night, having just the weekend to relax, and was smitten instantly with the pretty bartender, who for the first hour he was there, wouldn’t give him the time of day. His persistence wore her down though as she finally gave in and told him of her life, how she was a bastard, like him, from Riverrun and loved to travel; only stopping in Naath some couple of months ago. He told her he was a mechanic traveling to pick up parts from overseas, which was his MI6 covered backstory. They flirted and drank and drank some more.

He was hooked. They spent most of the weekend in his bed at his hotel room, only coming out ever so often to have a meal or go dancing in the escape of the city’s nightlife. But the weekend was soon to be over and they would have to inevitably part ways. The high from the attraction they had was as strong as ever, at least it was on Gendry’s part, but when Monday morning rolled around, he woke up to an empty bed and she was gone without a trace. No letter, no text, nothing. He almost felt as if the last seventy-two hours with her was nothing short of an incredible dream. If it wasn’t for the fact that his bed sheets smelled of her, he wouldn’t think she was real. The night before, wrapped in her arms, naked body encircling his, he drifted into a peaceful slumber not knowing that was the last time he would ever see her again.

So yeah, as he stands here before her once more, he thinks he’s losing his _fucking mind_ , because the universe can't possibly be this cruel to him. He's yearned and pined for another chance to see her again in some impossible way, so here of all places? It's pretty fucked up.

She ignores his comment in favor of dancing and spinning around her pole. She scans the room for Trant, but he has not made his appearance thus far.

The music is loud, thumping heavily throughout the room, a beat she could easily get lost in.

**_I hear the drum rolls thumping_ **

**_And my heart starts jumping_ **

**_And that's when I spin on the pole_ **

He doesn't need this distraction, but how much of a coincidence could it be that he runs into her here, tonight of all nights, and this place of all places? He’s not sure but he's determined to find out.

"Seriously, Aryiana, why are you here? I never took you for," he trails off looking at her up and down, words unable to form on his lips.

She smiles, "You mean a stripper? I'm not _stripping_ you idiot, I'm _entertaining._ And if the right price is paid, I can even entertain, privately."

He sighs, clearly distressed seeing her again under these unusual circumstances. "I guess bartending just wasn't your thing then, huh?"

She grabs the top of the pole while wrapping her leg around it tightly, with one spin and her head and back arched, she glides down gracefully and he shivers as every hair on his body tingles with excitement. He shakes it off quickly before going down that dark and dangerous path.

Again she ignores him in favor of having her own questions asked. Since she's waiting around for her mark, she might as well enjoy the distraction.

"What about you? I didn't take you as a _gentleman_ ," she emphasizes the last word to mean she never thought he needed to end up in a sleazy place like this for female companionship.

"And the suit?" She raises her eyebrows still swinging lecherously.

He puts his hands on his hips, pushing the bottom half of his jacket back as he does, "I'm not here for _entertainment_ , Ar, strictly business.”

She holds his gaze for a moment before shifting her eyes to the rest of his body. She freezes when she sees the gun in his waistband.

She tilts her head towards it when she says, "So you're what, a cop now?"

He laughs, "Something like that."

He sits down on the red velvet couch in front of the stage and relaxes into his seat, feeling the pulsating music ring in his ears.

**_Now My Head's Exploding_ **

**_And Your Gun is Dirty_ **

**_So I'm Guessing I'm On A Roll_ **

Something is, off. He can't put his finger on it but something is definitely wrong here. He gets a subtle look around the room, and apart from the dirtbags who get there rocks off watching half naked women berate themselves just to make money, nothing seems to be out of place.

Before he can talk to Arry anymore, a blonde strolls casually up to her beside the stage.

"Hey Nym, your break is in twenty, I'll cover you." She bends her body down backwards, one leg still wrapped around the pole, to kiss her cheek softly as the blonde smacks her on the ass.

His body goes rigid at the name. Nym. There’s no fucking way, it can’t be.

"Nym?" He asks her with a forced strong voice.

She shrugs, "Just a nickname the girls like to call me, aren't they so cute?" She winks.

Fuck, it is. Arry is Nym. Nym is Nymeria. Nymeria is Arya Stark. Arry is Arya fucking Stark, his target.

Aryiana... Aryia, Arya. The blood rushes to his head and he can't breathe. The girl he had a one weekend tryst with all those years ago, the one who broke is heart is a faceless man and a wanted fugitive for his former employer and closest friend. And his fucking target.

Well isn't this just fantastic.

Gendry's a professional so this minor detail won't interfere with his job and getting her back to MI6, alive. Did Davos know? Is that why he was chosen, a former agent, out of all of the capable current agents? He's going to find that out too. Now he's starting to get pissed.

He thought he knew her, he thought she was special, albeit heartless for the way she left him. Turns out she's just another heartless killer that he’s vowed to stop.

He stands preparing for her to run, or attack him. He’s excepting the latter if he’s honest with himself.

"He's not here."

Arya looks back at him, eyes wide with wonder and slight confusion, "Who?"

"Whoever you're after, he's not here; otherwise you wouldn't still be on that stage right now talking to me."

He sees her shift uncomfortably, facade fading slightly with every word, "What in the seven hells are you on about?"

Another spin, head tilted back, ass out.

"Cut the bullshit; tell me your real name, _Nym_."

She smiles darkly, aware she's been caught, "What makes you think it's a _him_ I'm after."

He grins; he knows she knows and this is getting more interesting by the second. He shouldn’t still be this attracted to her after everything he’s just learned. But Gods, he is. And it’s killing him.

"You're not getting to them, Arya. I'm here to bring you in."

She spins again, sweat glistening her upper body, hair sticking to the side of her face and neck, "I'm not going anywhere with you. Who are you anyway? Are you really ‘Gendry Waters, hot mechanic from Storm’s End’ or was that a lie too?” She narrows her eyes at him, waiting for an honest answer.

"I have a special skillset of finding people and bringing them back to the people who hire me.” He states matter-of-factly.

"You're a _Bounty Hunter_?" She laughs, whole body shaking with vibration.

Yeah, he's definitely pissed. This is a fucking disaster. But hey, that’s his life. One shit storm after another. He should be used to it by now, but this is definitely a punch to the gut.

"Wait, seriously?" She's holding her stomach now, tears streaming down her face, mascara and smoky eye makeup starting to smear a little. She’s still a knockout though, regardless.

After another minute of laughing until she can't breathe she finally collects herself and steps off the stage to face him. She's just inches now, feeling the heat radiating off his body, eyes bluer than the ocean. He has a least on a foot on her but her stiletto boots give her the height advantage she needs.

She's so close to him they almost touch, her breath hot on his face, breasts pressed against his chest as she whispers only to him, "I liked you better as the mechanic."

It takes all the strength in his very soul not to look down at her lips. 

****

**_Well it's a fine time_ **

**_Looking for a wine time man_ **

**_And you said "baby you ready to play"_ **

**_Well come right on this roller coaster_ **

**_'Cause it ain't over, it ain't over_ **

She turns to walk away from him but he grabs her arm, stopping her in her place.

"Oh, no you don't, you’re not getting away that easily, and you’re coming with me."

His hand still on her arm, she turns the upper half of her body around to face him, "It's so cute how you think that's really going to happen. You’re still a little shit, though. Did you really except this to go the way you wanted? If you do know the real me, you should have known _better_.” She says with no emotion, wondering just how much of the real Arya Stark he does know. She’s not waiting around to find out.

Arya looks over his shoulder to see Meryn Trant enter the room, and then she smiles at Gendry like a wolf laying a trap.

Before he has a chance to register what is happening, she's yelling across the room, "Guard, he's _hurting_ me!" She yells and acts as if the hand he has on her arm is holding onto her with more force than it really is.

Two large men grab him in an instant, forcing him to loosen his grip on Arya's arm as she walks backwards away from them with the biggest smirk spread across her face.

He’s resisting but knows it’s futile, “I’ll see you soon.”

She spins around, almost dance like, “No, you won’t.”

He watches as she slips behind a curtain on the other side of the room.

The burly security guard from earlier who was short with him jerks his arm awkwardly behind his back, "You do not touch the ladies without their _permission_ in my club. You're lucky I don't break your fucking leg, twat."

He knows he could easily get out of this situation, put all of them on their asses before they even knew what hit them. But they’re armed, and who knows what kind of mind state they’re in, therefore he doesn’t want to cause unnecessary attention nor panic for all the civilians in the room.

So as much as he hates it, he complies, and tries to rationalize with them instead.

Gendry tries to ease the guard's grip, "Let me go, I didn't hurt her. Someone's in trouble okay, I'm trying to fucking help, you ape."

Before the guard can respond and throw him out on the street, a panicked scream engulfs the entire building from the back where Arya had just disappeared to mere seconds before. If that was because of her, she’s better and much quicker than he initially thought.

The guard releases Gendry in favor of seeing what the disturbance is. Fearing for Arya’s safety and keeping his word to Davos to bring her in, he rushes straight after him while ignoring the upset from the other guards behind him.

They find a woman in the back, half naked much like the others and scared out of her fucking mind, hovering over a body whose throat has just been slit, crimson pouring out over the marble floor from underneath his neck, eyes wide, lifeless and unmoving.

He recognizes the man as Meryn Trant, someone who has been on MI6's watch list for years. _Of course she would be after him_ , he thinks to himself.

Gendry looks around to the now curious and unbothered crowd, "Has anyone see Nymeria?" he asks the ladies around him.

They look in between each other and shake their heads nodding no.

One girl, a red head speaks up, "I saw her just a minute ago out back. She's probably on her break or something." She shrugs.

Gendry rushes out the neon exit door, to the back alley of the club where the employees park their cars and take their smoke breaks.

It’s quite and dark. Nothing. She's gone.

He laughs uncontrollably to himself at the irony of it all. In all time as a bounty hunter, she's the _first._

She's the one who got away, and in more ways than one. Davos is excepting his call before the night is over. What in the seven hells is he supposed to do now?

Yes, he has met his match and the universe is fucking cruel indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be the flashback to when they first met which will cause a bump in the rating. ;)
> 
> Arya's Outfit -->https://letsbegothic.com/products/bandage-push-up-lingerie-set?fbclid=IwAR16JeYXCPvwy-1eZyugVEe-xZUaCUk2hHubYPGhtIroxo1xnle4SrQ4eC0


	4. Fire Meet Gasoline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thankfully she hasn’t noticed his staring because if she had, he has no doubt she’d kick him out just for the mere creepiness of it all. It might be impolite to stare, but he honestly can’t help it. He’s never seen anyone like her and it’s intoxicating him more than any alcohol in this bar ever could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wasn't expecting to get a chapter out so soon, my original plan was to do the entire weekend in one chapter, but that would have made it waaayyy too long. And splitting it up fits better with my plot anyway. This one is the first night they met and the rest of the weekend will be split up and thrown in as the story line progresses. I just won't know when until I start writing again.  
> They met when Arya was 19, and Gendry is 4 years older, which makes him 23 in the flashbacks.  
> So in present day she is 24 and he is 28. 
> 
> Fire Meet Gasoline By Sia

Five Years Ago- Naath- Thursday

All she wants is a few months off, just a little time to herself. She never thought she’d get it by _complaining_ like a child _._ When she checks in with Jaqen an afternoon after a successful hit, she hints a little at her annoyance of never getting a minute just to breathe without immediately planning who the next target will be. Arry even jokes about how assassins deserve a night off every once in a while, too.

H’ghar must have taken her joke as a desperate plea hidden under sarcastic humor. Not wanting her to start a rebellion, he ultimately allows her 3 months off, on two conditions. The first being she still had to maintain her ‘no one’ identity and come up with an alias that wouldn’t easily be remembered by the common folk, she all but rolls her eyes at that obvious rule. The second rule was that she wasn’t allowed to kill, under any circumstances whatsoever. If it came down to it, Arry would have to die rather than have any TFM secrets exposed. For Arya, that was absolutely not a problem, she had better self-control and more decency than any of her fellow faceless men, that she was sure of. Everyone else gave their humanity to Jaqen, one kill at a time, but Arry was determined to hold on to hers for as long as possible. She’s damn good at what she does, but she knows that her parents and brothers wouldn’t want her to lose herself and for sake others in the name of doing what she thinks is right, even if it is murdering bad people for the greater good. It’s a fine line between right and wrong and she’s constantly teetering over the edge trying to keep her balance and her head on straight.

So, at nineteen years old, for the first time in years, she’s free. Almost. And she is fucking ecstatic to have this time to herself and she’s determined to make the absolute best of it.

She decides to give the small island of Naath a try. She heard it was beautiful and the people were wonderful, welcoming, and not at all like the people she spends most of her time with. Which was good, because if they are anything but, she would be tempted to break rule number two and the consequences of her getting caught and reprimanded are too high to take that risk.

After Arry lands on the island, her first and only thought is to find a temporary job. Any of her TFM skills wouldn’t be needed here, nor her knowledge of all thing’s history and weapons. The country of Naath makes love, not war. A philosophy Arry is not accustomed too by any means. She knows what love is and she felt it once for her family, but as an adult loving and caring about someone other than yourself is a concept Arry never seemed to fathom and she doesn’t see that changing anytime soon. 

After a long flight, she ends up at a small pub near the summer sea in the heart of the city called ‘Dany’s’. It’s small, but comfortable. The cherry bar top is long and clean; the bar is fully stocked and on the back wall are posters, some of musical artists, others are of movies. Arry really likes it here and she has a feeling this place is going to change her life forever. 

The night she arrives on the island, the bar is mostly empty, except for a drunk passed out at the end of the bar top and a beautiful bartender minding the entire place by herself. She is wearing a simple white tank top and blue jean shorts, with her silky black hair down in two braids on each side of her head. Arry notices her nose ring is different than that of her own, a horse-shoe shaped ring hanging at her septum, something she has never seen on a woman in Essos before. _Very cool, she has good taste_ , she thinks to herself.

“Can I get a drink? Anything works.”

The barkeep looks at Arry up and down and says through squinted eyes, “How old are you, love?”

Arry tries to not look offended at the question while shrugging it off, “I’m nineteen, fully legal, just short.”

She smiles and reaches out a hand for Arry to shake, “I’m Missandei, the owner. You’re not from around here, are you? What’s your name, love?”

She stalls as she hadn’t thought of a name to use on her time off yet. She points to the neon sign on the wall, “And Dany?”

Missandei smiles sadly, “Dany was my best friend, she’s no longer with us.”

Assuming she doesn’t want to talk about her lost friend, she opts to figure out her alias instead, “Aryiana. My name is Aryiana Rivers. But you can call me Arry.”

Missandei takes a glass from under the bar to pour her a drink, “So you’re a bastard girl from Westeros? What’re doing down here then?”

Arry realizes she still had to come up with a cover story for the months she’s here. _Shit_. She’s been so overwhelmed with feeling like a whole new person, she hasn’t had the time to think about it. Ironic.

Arry shrugs in her seat, trying to act as nonchalant as possible, “I want to see the world, thought this place would be a good stop. Might stick around for a couple months. Know of any place that’s hiring?”

She watches Missandei clean a few glasses as she sips on her drink, some blue thing that tastes more like fruit that rum.

“Here, actually. I need someone to help out seeing is how my last girl quit on me abruptly to run off with her boyfriend. You know how to make a drink?”

Arry nods, “Sure do. And I know how to put people out on their ass if they get too unruly.”

Missandei laughs at her enthusiasm for violence, “We usually don’t get any of that around here, but I think you’ll do well enough. When can you start?”

Arry downs the last of her drink, “Now, honestly. I kind of don’t have any money for a place to stay.”

“Well lucky for you Arry, my last girl also happened to rent a room from me too. I have a two-bedroom upstairs that now needs a second occupant. You can stay here with me and if you decide to stick around longer than a couple of months, we’ll talk about rent, deal?”

Arry knew she wouldn’t be here longer than that, so there was no hesitation to take her up on the offer, “Deal.”

_________________________

Gendry gets off the plane with only mild exhaustion on a warm Thursday morning on the island of Naath. He’s just spent six months in Pentos tracking down and ultimately executing a known terrorist in Essos rumored to be linked to TFM and now that that is finally over with, he just wants a cold beer and to lay out in the sun for four days. Spending time in dark abandoned castles as makeshift MI6 headquarters and warehouses trying to lay low is not what he considers a good time and he is desperate to see the sun again.

To make his much-needed time off even better, he will be meeting up with Torgo Nudho, or known to his close friends as Grey, one of his best mates growing up, both of them bouncing around foster home together.

Ready to get checked into his room and then down to the beach, Gendry hails a cab across town.

The driver wastes no time in getting him where he needs to be, which in turn earned him a healthy tip from Gendry.

After a day in the sun, skin a little tanner than it was before, he meets Grey at the hotel restaurant on the bottom floor for a quick bite and then they head out to, ‘Dany’s,’ eager to explore the local culture and nightlife.

For a quiet Thursday night, the place is dead, as expected, so when they walk in, they’re greeted by the only occupant, a pretty dark-skinned woman behind the bar.

Missandei turns around and her eyes look as if they are about to pop out of her head, “Grey?! Is that you?”

She rushes around the bar top to hug him tightly, Grey’s face holding the biggest smile Gendry has ever seen on the man.

“How’ve you been Missy, it’s been ages.”

She smiles before yelling over her shoulder, “Hey Arry, I’m taking a break, cover for me!”

Gendry can’t even protest because seeing his friend so happy to be reunited with a woman he obviously still holds feelings for is enough to make him keep his mouth shut.

He takes a seat at the now empty bar as a short brunette comes out of the back through a swinging kitchen door.

His heart rate increases as he stares at the woman behind the bar. She’s wearing dark blue jeans with a dark grey sweater. There’s a green scarf wrapped around her neck under her multitude of small braids intertwined around brown and pink hair, clad with a backwards baseball cap on the top of her head and a shiny nose ring.

She’s breathtakingly beautiful and he can’t seem to take his eyes off her.

Thankfully she hasn’t noticed his staring because if she had, he has no doubt she’d kick him out just for the mere creepiness of it all. It might be impolite to stare, but he honestly can’t help it. He’s never seen anyone like her and it’s intoxicating him more than any alcohol in this bar ever could.

She’s wiping down the bar at the opposite end of him while absentmindedly twirling a kitchen knife in her left hand with such speed and precision, he feels like at any second it’s going to fly out of her hands and damage _something_ or _someone._

She spins it in between her fingers, flipping it from her palm to the top of her hand and back again while nodding along to the song that’s playing on the surround sound speakers.

**_There's two of us_ **

**_We're certain with desire_ **

**_The pleasure's pain and fire_ **

**_Burn me_ **

****

She finally catches his gaze and halts the knife in her hand, pointing it on him, eyes wide.

“Did you need a drink or something? It’s creepy _as fuck_ to sit in a bar alone, quiet, without anything to drink.”

She walks over to his side of the bar, hands now empty holding her steady against it.

“What do you recommend?” He gives her a charming smile, but she only rolls her eyes in response.

“That depends. Are you wanting to get ‘feel good tipsy’ or ‘what the fuck happened to my clothes, drunk?’”

He lets out a laugh, eyes crinkling, “Either works for me, milady.”

She picks up the knife she just laid down and points it at him again, “Call me that again and you’ll be leaving here in a body bag.”

He says nothing, only shaking with laughter at her threat. She’s pure spitfire, that’s for sure. And he is completely under her spell.

________________________________

Arry saw Gendry walk in with his friend who happened to know Missandei from years back. She tried as hard as she could not to ogle his body with her eyes as she watched their friends walk outside together. His blue eyes sparkled like the ocean and his plain, tight white t shirt made his body even more tan, and his muscles bulge underneath it and she had a hard time not picturing running her hand down his arms to feel just how strong he really is.

Instead she keeps her mind focused on the music and wipes down the already immaculately clean bar top.

Her attraction to his body was a given, but when he tried flirting with her, he suddenly became just a little less desirable. Still cute though.

She’s grown used to handsome men flirting with her while working for Missandei the past two and a half months and just like the others, this one will not phase her either.

They flirt, ask for free drinks or to take her home and she declines them each and every time. She knows she’s going back to her normal life soon with TFM, so what’s the point in divulging them further than a simple conversation between bartender and patron.

She makes him her specialty drink, rum and vodka mixed with sweet n sour, green Gatorade and a few more odds and ends. She sets the green drink down in front of him, his eyes wide with bewilderment. 

“What in the seven hells is _that_?”

She leans against the bar much like she did a few moments ago and shrugs her shoulders, “I call it ‘Wildfire.’”

He stares at her, unimpressed with her green concoction.

“Humor me.”

He smiles taking the drink off the bar and brings it to his lips taking a large sip. He sets it back down gingerly, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of it being quite tasteful, “Not bad.”

She rolls her eyes and walks towards the other side of the bar where Grey and Missandei had sat down after coming in from out back.

Grey looks down at Gendry drinking his wildfire happily and then back at Arya, "He fancies you. He's got that look in his eye."

Shit. She does not need this right now. She's only here for the rest of the month and getting close to someone now, this late in the game is a disaster waiting to happen.

She looks at Missandei as she walks towards the back door the pair just emerged from, "I'm taking my break."

Missandei waves her off as she steps back around to her side of the bar. She and Grey then join Gendry where he sits at the other end.

Gendry looks shyly at Missandei, "What's Arry's deal?"

Grey looks at his friend with a smirk, "I told you."

He pretends to be shocked they were talking about him, "What?"

Missandei leans down to face him directly, "Let me give you some friendly advice, don't get too attached okay? Arry has been working for me for two months now and just about every other night another bloke like you comes waltzing in here trying to get her to give them the time of day and do you know what she does every time? Not a damn thing. That girl has a fortress around her."

Gendry's face falls in slight disappointment. _It's probably for the better_ , he thinks to himself.

________________________________

For the next hour or so Arry doesn't even so much as look in his direction. Which makes him want to talk to her even more.

After the silent treatment, he's had enough.

Missandei and Grey have been at a table in the corner for half the hour now, so it's just been Gendry sitting at the bar, staring at the pretty bartender in silence.

She trades his wildfire out for a cold beer when he says, "What's your deal anyway? You don't seem like you're from around these parts."

She flips the bottle cap off with just a butter knife. Fuck. She's impressive.

"That's because I'm not." She does the same with her own beer, leaning back against the bar behind her.

She stares for just a few seconds longer than she should. His eyes are doing that stupid fucking sparkling thing again. _Fuck it_ , how much trouble could he possibly be anyway, it's just a little harmless flirting.

"Do you have a full name, _Arry_?" He takes another sip waiting on her to decide if he's worth the conversation or not.

"Aryiana Rivers."

"Gendry Waters."

"So, Gendry Waters, what's a bastard like you doing on this little island?"

"Just a little holiday is all, I'm a mechanic and I just got back from Pentos buying some parts, thought I'd make a stop before heading home."

He takes another sip, "What about you Aryiana Rivers? What's a bastard girl like you doing on this little island?"

She too takes another sip and then sighs, "I haven't figured out where I want to settle down just yet, I'd like to see the world one day. I stopped here a couple of months ago."

"Do you like it much?"

She smiles mimicking his words, "Not bad."

The next couple of hours fly by entirely too fast for their liking. No one else has bothered to show up for a drink, so they've taken the time to talk about anything and everything.

Gendry keeps up his mechanic cover but also tells her of his life in foster home, which is nothing but the truth. In turn, Arry keeps up her cover story as well, telling him of how she was born a bastard in Riverrun and ran away from her foster family when she was just a teenager and how she's been on her own ever since. They find comfort in their conversation together and how easy it is to talk to one another. Of course, both of their real jobs keeps them from ever being truly themselves, but under their covers, the true Arry and Gendry show just enough.

She leans on the bar, eyeing the necklace hanging around his neck, “What’s with the penny?”

He looks down at his dark grey chain and metal holding a simple copper penny.

“It’s the only thing I have left of my mum. She always wore it and said it was to remind her of how worthy she is. No matter where she came from or how much money she had. She always told me to never let someone belittle me over materialistic things.”

Arry smiles, “Smart woman. Are you sure you’re her kid?”

The both laugh at the same time. They find it easy to keep up their covers while simultaneously letting just a little bit of their true selves show through the cracks.

After a short conversation, rather argument, about which type of knife is the best, Missandei and Grey break up their little debacle.

"Hey, we're going to that new club downtown, wanna go?"

Arry looks confused, "What about the bar?"

Missandei shrugs, "I'll just close early tonight. No big deal. Come on, let's go."

After closing the bar down, Missandei finally joins the other three outside. They decide to walk since the club is just under a mile down the road from Dany's.

Gendry and Arry walk side by side behind Missandei and Grey who are comfortably linking arms.

"So, clearly the val.." He doesn't even get his sentence out before Arry interrupts him.

"Oh you _stupid bull_ , are you still on that? Just drop it already, I'm tired of arguing with your bull-headed ass. You are just as stubborn as a damn bull, has anyone ever told you that?"

Gendry smiles brightly in the cool night breeze, "Nope. Just your pretty little self."

Arry rolls her eyes and gives him a playful shove with more force than intended and he about falls over.

Gendry stumbles dramatically, mostly to annoy Arry, “Wow, retract the claws little wolf.”

Arry snaps back, “Cats have claws, wolves have paws, and fangs. I can show you mind if you want.” She smiles widely, all teeth showing, and it makes him want to shut her up by crashing his lips on hers. He refrains, indigently.

Grey looks over his shoulder at them, “If you’re going to continuing flirting like this, at least wait until I’m drunk again alright? It’s bloody annoying.” Missandei laughs beside him while Gendry and Arry each blush profusely.

The rest of the walk to the club is quiet, save for the bustling city life.

Once they arrive, Missandei and Grey Worm head straight for the dance floor, while Gendry and Arry find the bar.

The place is large and spacious but crowded for a Thursday night. The DJ booth sits higher up off the floor while the lights illuminate blue and purple rays of color throughout the entire room.

After a few minutes of content silence and a little bit of liquid courage, Arry drags Gendry away from the bar and onto the dance floor.

“I bet you’re a shit dancer, but I don’t even care right now.” She says holding on to his hand leading the way through the crowd.

They reach a good spot in the midst of other people bouncing happily along with the music. The electricity is definite between them as they glide very close to one another to the fast rhythm of the music, bodies humming in sweet bliss, sweat starting to glisten all over. Gendry holds Arry’s hips as she gets lost in the sounds and feel of his hands on her body. She turns abruptly and leans her body back against him as his hands never leave their place, both keeping up with the beat and the feel of each other easily.

After a few minutes, Gendry leans down to whisper in her ear that he’ll be right back.

She assumes he is just going to take a piss, so she stays in her spot on the dance floor, waiting for him to return to her. If she didn’t know any better, she’d almost say she misses the feel of him touching her already.

Gendry wastes no time in getting back to Arry, but when he gets close enough to see her, he just stands there and takes in how gorgeous she is. So wild and care-free.

Before he takes another step to rejoin her, he sees a large man walk up and grab her by the arm. She brushes it off, paying him no mind, but he’s not taking no for an answer. He hesitantly walks closer not wanting to escalate the situation further. 

The man tries again to get her attention by pulling on her arm, “Come on, sweetheart, just one dance.”

He can tell Arry is fuming at this point as he sees her reach her left arm back and collide it with his face, “I said no!”

He hears the crack of the man’s nose at the moment of impact as the blood rushes down his face in heaps of dark crimson.

He’s standing right next to her now as the man yells in anger, “You broke my fucking nose, _you bitch_!”

Gendry intervenes then when Arry gets ready to land another punch, “Oh, no you don’t!” He says as he grabs her by the waist throwing her over his shoulder, tightening his grip on the back of her thighs so she can’t wiggle herself free. She swats his back and kicks her legs like a child, as he walks away from the scene and towards the door, “You deserved it you piece of shit!” She yells back at the man and then at him, “Put me down right now Gendry!”

He ignores her and continues on his path to the front doors when Grey and Missandei meet them there after watching the commotion from the other side of the club, “What happened?!”

Gendry turns his body so that Arya, still thrown over his shoulder, can talk to them directly, “I may have broken someone’s nose,” she says casually.

He turns back around while still holding onto Arry’s legs, “I’ll get her back, go and enjoy the rest of your night.”

Missandei and Grey wave them off as they head out the front doors and into the crisp midnight air.

“Can you please put me down now, bull?”

He continues to walk towards Dany’s, “That depends, are you going to hit me if I do? You weren’t very happy that I kept you from knocking that bloke’s lights out.”

She sighs in defeat, “No, I won’t hit you.”

He stops and sets her back down on her feet facing him, eyes trailing from her flushed cheeks and scrunched eyebrows, down to her pink lips.

He reaches out and grabs her left hand, examining the bruises that are starting to form from her wicked left hook and he swears he feels her stop breathing the second their skin makes contact. He rubs his fingers across her knuckles, and it makes her shiver. She pulls her hand back and sticks them both in the pockets of her blue jeans.

“You don’t have to walk me back; I’ll be fine on my own.”

He smiles, “I have no doubt about that, but I want too.”

She returns his smile and they walk in silence for a few minutes. The tension from their attraction is palpable and it’s driving both of them crazy, each not knowing how to approach the subject or even if they should.

They reach the backside of Dany’s a couple of minutes later and stop at the stairs leading up to the two-bedroom loft Arry and Missandei share.

Gendry finally breaks the awkward silence, “If I come back tomorrow are you going to enforce more colorful drinks on me?”

Arry smiles, happy at the chance that she’ll be seeing him again soon, “You’ll just have to find out tomorrow. I don’t know what I’ll be in the mood for then.”

She heads up the stairs but turns back to him about halfway from the top, “Goodnight Waters.”

He smiles up at her, the pink in her hair shining brightly through her braids in the moonlight, “Goodnight Rivers.”

On the walk back to his hotel he thinks about the song that was playing the first time he saw her and how relevant it was to meeting her.

**_But it's a bad bet, certain death_ **

**_But I want what I want and I gotta get it_ **

**_When the fire dies, darkened skies_ **

**_Hot ash, dead match, only smoke is left_ **

Meeting her ignited a flame in him he never thought would be lit. She was like gasoline, setting the flames in him higher and higher until they’re no longer containable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rating will change when I get another flashback chapter out, so until then enjoy safe version. Lol


	5. I'm Just A Drink Away From Honesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She winks at him flirtatiously and takes another drink. Okay, so it’s going to be the hard way then.
> 
> Don't Miss Me? By Marianas Trench

Present Day- Dorne

Gendry paces in the back alley of the club for a few minutes trying to figure out what the hell he is going to do now to track down Arya. He can’t believe this is actually happening to him.

He looks down at the ground and sees fresh black skid marks trail out of the parking lot and then an idea pops into his head and he immediately rushes back inside. He ignores the group of people huddled around Trant’s body in favor of finding what he needs. He assumes they called the police to come investigate the murder that just took place but he’s not staying here long enough to find out how that ends.

He finds the room he needs and sees a scrawny young ginger sitting at a large control center with dozens of computers and monitors handling the entire operating system, lights, and security cameras.

He pops his head in the door and points a finger over his shoulder, “Hey mate, you got cameras in the back-parking lot?”

The kid looks offended that he would even ask him that, “Yeah, of course we do. I’m not an amateur.”

Gendry steps in then to get a better look at the system set up, “Can you pull up the footage from back there. The last ten minutes or so?”

The kid huffs, “What’s in it for me?”

Gendry’s patience is running _very_ thin as he pulls his jacket back to reveal his gun, “I don’t shoot you.”

The man swallows deeply, “Fair enough.” He pulls up the footage as Gendry watches intensely, looking for any sign of which direction Arya went after she left.

The video shows Arya exit out of the back and then stop to look directly at the camera. She gives whoever is watching a cute wave and then the middle finger before the film turns into nothing but grey static.

Gendry laughs again, clearly amused by her wit and antics, “Fucking hell.” He sighs and tells him to rewind the tape and play it back again and to freeze it on Arya looking at the camera.

The video is paused as Gendry asks him if he can zoom in on what’s behind Arya. He does as he’s told and holds the frame on a small motor bike parked behind the club just before the camera cuts off.

Gendry smiles as he scribbles the license plate number down on the palm of his hand, “Gotcha.”

The kid looks confused, “Wait, how do you know that belongs to her?”

“Trust me, it’s hers.”

He runs out to the back alley once more and pulls out his cell phone to make a call.

It rings three times before someone on the other end finally answers, “Hey, it’s Waters, I need a favor. Can you track down a location for me on a woman driving a black motorcycle, license plate whiskey, foxtrot, bravo, four, seven, alpha.”

The person on the other end tells Gendry that he followed her downtown using the satellite imaging street cameras, and that the trail ends at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Westover. A hotel by the name of ‘The Starfall Inn’ is on that street so he assumes Arya is staying there.

“Thanks, mate. I owe you one.” He hangs up the phone and runs out to the main street to hail a cab.

He tells the driver to get him to the hotel as fast as he can. Gendry doesn’t know if he needs to get there as soon as possible to get Arya back before she disappears again and get her over to Davos and finish this bounty or because he has a longing just to be near her period and finally get some damn answers as to why she left him the way she did all those years ago.

He walks in the front entrance of the hotel and looks around trying to figure out how he can find her in here without looking too suspicious or creepy. He has to be alert and assume Arya will not look the same way that he just saw her minutes before.

He doesn’t have to look far as he eyes the patrons in the bar to his right and sees a familiar brunette sitting alone on a barstool.

He sighs as he walks into the semi crowded hotel bar, hands shaking slightly from his nerves, and sits down next to her.

She doesn’t look up from where she is staring at her drink in front of her. She has on the same black boots and lingerie from earlier in the evening accompanied now with a black strapless dress that goes only down to her mid-thigh and zips up the side. He has no doubt she has a knife strapped to her thigh in that very spot. His mind lingers there for a bit too long as memories come rushing back of his tongue on her leaving his mark on that very spot time and time again.

He lets out a heavy breath he’s been holding since he saw her and orders a drink for himself.

“I thought you’d be harder to find after you left the club.”

Neither of them can bring themselves to look at the other, “That’s because I wasn’t trying to hide. At least not from you.”

She keeps her eyes focused on the back wall of liquor bottles.

“So, you are hiding from someone then?” She ignores his question.

“Were you always a bounty hunter? Even back then?”

He shakes his head, “No, I wasn’t. But I was never a mechanic either.”

She laughs, and he feels his anger start to rise, “What the _fuck_ is so funny?”

She takes another drink before answering, “Well you obviously know that I wasn’t who I said I was back then either. It’s just funny how I thought I fell for a decent and normal guy and he turns out to be just as secretive and devious as I am. Go figure.”

He laughs unhumorously, knowing exactly how she feels, “We don’t really know each other at all do we?”

She finally takes the chance to look into his eyes, “No, I suppose we don’t.”

She takes another drink as he does the same, “Look, as much as I would love to sit here and drink with you all night and finally know why you left me without a single word, I still have a job to do, and you have _things_ to answer for.”

He wants to sit here and drink with her and tell her _everything_. From how she broke his heart, to him dreaming about her every other night for the past five years, to the fact that he can’t hold a single relationship for longer than a few days because he’s constantly, and failing, to find her in every woman he sees.

She breaks his thoughts before his honestly falls out of his mouth, “Are you going to tell me who hired you and who exactly it is I have to answer to?”

It’s his turn to face her now, “If I tell you, will you come with me willingly?”

Arya smiles at him and it takes his breath away, “No.”

He sighs, “I didn’t think so. Therefore it makes do difference if you know who hired me. I have to take you back to King’s Landing whether you like it or not. We can do this the easy way, or you can resist and make things messy and drag out the inevitable, but one way or another, you _are_ going back. What you’ve done and the crimes you must answer for is out of my hands, I’m sorry Arya.”

She smiles at him with a devilish look in her eye, “Yeah but the hard way is going to be so much more _fun_.”

She winks at him flirtatiously and takes another drink. Okay, so it’s going to be the hard way then.

Gendry leans over close enough for her to feel his warm breath against her skin, lips right on her ear, “I can think of _other_ ways to have fun with you.”

His words send a shiver down her spine and while her guard is down, brain riddled with images of his naked body on hers, lips caressing every inch of skin, he takes the opportunity in front of him to grab both of her hands and lock them tightly together with a white cable zip tie.

It all happens too fast; she doesn’t even register what he’s doing until it’s too late and she can’t move her hands. The zip tie cuts into her wrists as she tries to wiggle her hands free.

“You little shit. Okay, I admit, you got me this time. You’re sure you don’t have handcuffs; they’d be more comfortable, and we could have _fun_ with them too.”

“If I’d put handcuffs on you, you’d already be out of them by now. I’ve found these are a little bit more durable.”

“Wow bull, maybe you’re not that stupid after all.”

He gives her a fake smile, “I’ve learned a thing or two since you knew me. Let’s go.”

He grabs her by the arm, hands tied together in front of her as they head for the front entrance. An older couple gives them a side eyed once over which only makes Gendry yell over his shoulder as they walk through the door, “Roleplaying! She likes being the _sub_.”

Arya blushes as they walk down the street, “Well that was just unnecessary. Where are we going?”

Gendry keeps his grasp on her arm tight, “We’re going back to my hotel a few blocks down to stay for the night, and then we’re catching the next train in the morning.”

“You do realize I can get away from you just as easily right now despite the obvious.” She holds up her zip tied hands for emphasis.

“Then why don’t you?”

“Curiosity mostly. I want to see what game your playing, Waters. I’ll get out when I need to, I’m not going to be anyone’s prisoner. Except maybe _yours_.” She gives him another wink as they walk side by side down the street.

“You know that’s not going to work on me, right? Your little flirty remarks and your cute smiles, I’m not falling for it. I’m not playing your mind games, not after everything that happened, or rather what _didn’t_ happen between the two of us back then. I wanted to be with you, past just the weekend we spent together, and I thought that’s what you wanted to, until I woke up to an empty bed.”

“Oh, you’re still mad about that? It should make more sense now that you know who I really am. You should have realized now that we couldn’t really be together then. I had a job to do and apparently you did too.”

“So that’s why you left without saying goodbye or giving me a reason why, because of your _job_?”

She shrugs trying to hide her emotions, “I had my reasons. Nothing to concern you with.”

He laughs emotionless, “Sure. You clearly don’t want to tell me, so I’ll do you a favor and won’t bring it up again.”

She huffs in annoyance, “Fine.”

“Fine.” He says in response. The rest of the walk is eerily quiet. So many things left unsaid and sexual tension still clear as day. This is going to be a long night.

She’s the first to break the silence as he steers her inside the hotel they will now be sharing apparently, “Really? You’re staying in this shit hole? You know I had a room back there, we could just...”

He cuts her off, “Not a chance. I’m sure you’ve already learned the entire layout of that place to use to your advantage. I have somewhat of the upper hand here.”

Arya laughs, loudly, which only irritates Gendry more at the fact she is mocking him.

His room is on the first floor so when they arrive, he wastes no time ushering them both inside at once.

She sits down on the king size bed, face frowning, “Are you really going to make me wear this all night?” She jesters to her stilettos and black strapped ensemble she was pole dancing in just a few hours ago.

If he was being honest with himself and a little greedy, he would make her wear that all night because she looks absolutely ravishing in her black get up and because he knows it will piss her off to no end, but he’s still a gentleman and he still, despite everything she put him and his heart through, has a soft spot for the girl sitting in front of him.

“I can probably find you something else to put on.”

“Or I can sleep naked, that’s fine with me too.”

“Not a chance in hell,” he says in response.

Her face lights up as she looks at the bathroom across the room, “Mind if I shower too?”

He gives her a puzzling look but doesn’t answer.

“What? There are no windows in the bathroom, where else am I going to go? I’ll even leave the door open if it makes you feel better. I just want to get the filth of that place off me.”

He sighs, empathy showing through a little bit more, “I guess you can, but the tie is going back on when you’re finished.”

He thinks about the club again, “What lead you there anyway? Trant could have been anywhere tonight, why there? And I’m sure it was you who decided to go undercover like that, so you only have yourself to blame.”

She stands up and waits for him to help her to the bathroom on the other side of the room, “I don’t know, and I didn’t ask. An old informant of ours gave me the tip.”

He makes no move to help her, body and arms leaning back against the small desk on the wall, “By ‘ours,’ you mean _The Faceless Men_?”

Arya rolls her eyes, “Yes, that’s who I mean. Now can I take a shower before I answer any more of your idiotic questions?”

He doesn’t move an inch, apart from his eyes that trail down to her thigh and then back up again, “Do it yourself.”

She gives him a teasing smile, “Prick. If you wanted a peek, all you had to do was ask.”

She reaches down to unzip her dress from the bottom, all the way up to her hip. She unstraps her knife and in one swift motion, she uses it to free herself from the zip tie.

In this moment, Gendry’s attraction to her is stronger than it’s ever been and it’s a constant battle in his head to actually do something about it.

Arya teases the rest of her dress off until it hits the floor at her feet. She walks slowly to the bathroom, hips swaying back and forth as she goes.

Gendry runs a hand over the back of his neck, wiping off the little bit of sweat starting to pool there, as he takes a seat on the bed in the same spot Arya was just sitting in. He sees her take off her boots and then start to take off her club outfit, when she sees him watching her from the bathroom.

“I don’t mind if you look you know, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

He lays back on the bed in defeat, “Just get on with it.”

______________________

She spends longer in the shower than she should, scrubbing every inch of her skin raw and letting her mind trail to dangerous thoughts of a certain blue-eyed man she can’t seem to get out of her head. No matter how hard she tries, her thoughts always find a way to go back to _him_. It even almost got her killed once. A couple of years after they met, while out trying to find a target, she thought she saw him in the midst of people around her. Guard down for a split second and it almost cost her everything. The woman she was after knew of her plan and got the drop on her, stabbing her multiple times in her side, before disappearing again. After that she vowed, she’d never let him or anyone else distract her in the same way ever again. She closed off her mind and heart to all thoughts and memories of Gendry, until now that is. Seeing him again in that club awakened all those things in her, bringing her humanity back to the forefront of her mind and her heart. She didn’t want to leave him, she wanted to be with him in the same way he said he wanted to be with her, but she felt as if she didn’t have any other choice. She _had_ to leave him. And now she can admit to herself after seeing him tonight, that she never wants to leave him again. But he’s a bounty hunter now and she’s his target, irony not lost. She refuses to be a prisoner and play whatever game his employer wants her to play.

So, she finds herself at an impasse. All she wants to do is to tell him how she feels and the real reason why she left him, and that they can be together now. They can be together and _free_.

But she doesn’t, she flirts and pretends his presence back in her life is ineffective and that she’s this emotionless person he thinks she is. Which is only partially true.

Once the water becomes ice cold, she finally turns it off and steps out into the chilly air, wrapping her towel around her body as tight as she can. She really doesn’t want to put back on _that_ thing.

She steps back out into the hotel room and finds Gendry already in plain t-shirt and sweatpants, one of her favorite looks on him, sprawled across the king size bed.

On the edge of the bed, closest to the bathroom, is a folded-up plaid long sleeved shirt and a pair of grey sweats.

She grabs the clothes, feeling his eyes on her. She pulls the shirt over her arms and lets it hang unbuttoned on her body. She feels brazen enough to let the towel drop to the floor, revealing intimate parts of her skin, glistening with the water from her shower, hair soaked and dripping wet. She keeps her eyes focused on him as she slowly buttons up his shirt she’s wearing. After she’s finished with the buttons, she pulls on the sweatpants and then tightens the waistband on her small hips.

Gaze still holding his, she watches as he sits up on the bed and leans closer and closer to where she is standing. He’s just inches away now, so close that if she leans in ever so slightly, their lips would brush, and she could have the taste of him on her tongue once more.

Lips parted as she dares to look down at his, her face flustered with passion and want.

She starts to close her eyes when he opens his mouth and whispers, “ _Hands_.”

She stares at him wide eyed wondering what the fuck he means, when she sees him hold up a brand-new zip tie in front of her face.

Annoyance comes rushing back as she begrudgingly holds up her hands for him to tie once again.

After her hands are firmly secured it front of her, she joins him on the opposite side of the bed.

She settles down next to him as he says, “Get some rest, we leave at dawn.”

Still feeling brave, she breaks the excruciatingly awkward silence, if only to risk making things more awkward, she asks, “Did you love me?”

She feels him take in a deep breath beside her.

“I think so. But it doesn’t matter now, does it? Goodnight, Arry.”

She feels the tears threatening to sting her eyes at her old name she used to love to hear him say.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she simply says, “Goodnight, Gendry.”

______________________________________________

She flutters her eyes open to the bright morning sun streaming through the window, curtains pulled back fully.

Gendry is leaning against the table on the wall, the same way he did last night nursing a cup of coffee in his hands.

“I went to the lost and found and picked you out some clothes to wear that are more your size.”

He points with the mug in his hand to the edge of the bed where a pile of clothes lie. A small blue t shirt and a pair of blue jeans shorts. He also managed to find some semi worn black flip flops so she wouldn’t have to wear her boots anymore. He also got her a grey baseball cap and sunglasses. She assumes he doesn’t want her recognized by anyone while she’s traveling with him back to King’s Landing.

“I can’t exactly put these on with my hands bound.”

He sets his coffee down on the desk and walks over to where she is sitting up on the bed. He pulls his own pocket knife out of his pocket and cuts the tie lose.

Once her hands are free, she grabs the clothes off the bed and makes her way to the bathroom.

She turns around before entering, “Thanks, Gendry.”

He returns her smile as she closes the door behind her.

After she’s fully dressed, baseball cap and all, she opens the door to find Gendry waiting for her on the other side, fresh new zip tie in hand.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Don’t you trust me yet?” She gives him a playful smile.

“Uhhhh, no. Hands.”

He zips her hands together and throws his plaid shirt she was wearing last night over them, keeping them well covered.

The cab ride to the train station is quiet, both of them not knowing what to say.

When they arrive, Gendry tells Arya to wait for him by the cell phone charging station in the middle of the busy platform while he gets their tickets.

She watches him walk away and thinks that maybe she could run if she really wanted to, but something, is telling her to stay. Feeling that he is taking too long, she paces slowly to the ticketing stand to join him and sees him talking to someone on his cell phone while waiting in line.

As she inches closer she can hear exactly what he is telling the person on the other end, “Yes. Former Special Agent Gendry Waters requesting a secure line.”

She freezes where she stands as all the blood rushes to her head and she can’t breathe. She must have misheard him right, _please tell me he didn’t say what I think he just said_ , she repeats to herself.

She’s pissed, and more importantly, she’s _scared_. She walks right up to him, not even caring about the word discreet anymore.

“You’re MI6?! Who hired you?!”

Gendry gets out of line and grabs her arm, stepping closer to her so they’re only inches apart.

“Keep your voice down, Arya.”

He looks around to see if anyone is listening, but she doesn’t care.

“Who told you to come find me, Gendry? Was it Stannis? Melisandre?”

He looks surprised she knows of his former bosses, “What? No, it…”

She cuts him off, panic starting to set in, “Don’t touch me, I’m not going anywhere with you. I can’t be here right now.”

She turns around and walks away knowing he is right behind her.

“Arya? What is going on?”

“Leave me, Gendry! Let me go, please.” She pleads with him but it’s no use. She’s practically running down the platform now and while the ticketing attendant has her back turned she hops on the first open train door she sees. She looks back just in time to see Gendry hop on the train behind her, doors closing quickly, and the train take off from the station.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit's getting real ya'll. 
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> I now have the next 4 chapters outlined out. Including the rest of the Naath flashbacks. So watch out for a bump in the rating!


	6. Take Me Anywhere, Anywhere Away With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She looks at the table and then back at him, “We all need someone. We just don’t like to admit it to ourselves. The world is a lonely place, better to have someone to be lonely with.”  
> Gendry smiles at her, “How can someone so tiny be such a pain in the ass and yet still so wise at the same time?” 
> 
> Anywhere By Rita Ora

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE THE RATING CHANGE.
> 
> Shoutout to @moonstruckandkissedinsane (you know the one ;)) for being my smut beta. She's a fucking boss and this was my first time writing smut and to have her approval is amazing beyond words. 
> 
> So with that and this being the longest chapter to date at almost 6k words, it took awhile to get up so I hope I did it justice.
> 
> Also kudos to anyone who knows which lines I borrowed from my second favorite movie of all time. ❤️

__Five Years Ago- Naath- Friday

She didn't want to like him, really, she didn't. He's nothing but a distraction, a very cute, very muscular distraction. One she does not need right now. In a few short weeks she'll be leaving this island and her fake life for good. To be distracted now is a very, very bad idea. But, oh how good it would feel.

She wants to see him again. She wants to get lost in those pretty blue eyes of his and she wants to feel what his lips would feel like on hers. It's impossible, what if he doesn't like her in the same why she likes him. What if he only sees her as a new friend, strictly platonic like the same way he feels about Missandei and Grey?

Arry pushes those thoughts to the back of her mind as she reluctantly drags her tired body out of bed. Her hand still hurts from the night before; her knuckles are already a dark shade of purple. It's her off day which means no shift at Dany's which ultimately means she won’t slinging drinks and risking the chance of punching someone else, the day is all hers for the taking.

After she showers, she puts on a swimsuit under her day clothes just in case she wanders down to the beach later. She puts a plain white t shirt on over her pink bikini top with her turquoise bikini bottoms under a pair of short raggedy shorts. She opts for her black combat boots rather than any sandals as she wants to get her bike out today and go for a ride, something she has not has the opportunity to do in weeks. Her bike has become her favorite means of transportation on the island. She has no clue how she’ll get it back to Braavos therefore leading her to the conclusion that she’ll have to leave it behind under Missandei’s care until she returns. _If_ she returns one day, she really hopes she will.

Dressed for the day, she heads down to the bar, eager to get coffee and a donut. That is if there are any left in her stash in the mini fridge underneath the register.

The bar is empty, which is a little surprising considering Missandei likes to drink her coffee while watching the local talk show in the mornings on the couch beside the pool table in the corner. In fact, Arry didn't even hear her come home last night. _I bet she's been out all night with Grey_ , she thinks to herself happy at the thought.

As she pours her coffee into her mug, there’s a sudden tap on the front door.

Coffee mug in hand she blows on it as she walks over to see who that could possibly be.

She's surprised to find a now familiar pair of blue eyes on the other side when she swings it open, ready to berate whoever dares to piss her off before she’s had her coffee.

She smiles smugly, "You know it's a little early to be drinking. There's an AA meeting tonight at the recreational center if you need an outlet to share."

Gendry laughs at her assumption he's there for liquor at nine in the morning.

"While I appreciate the effort from you to lead me to sobriety, I'm actually looking for Grey, thought he might be here. We were supposed to hang out today, but he’s not in his room nor is he answering my calls or txt messages."

Arry gives him a knowing smirk, "He's not here, and neither is Missandei, she actually never came home last night. I assumed they had a little too much fun at the club after we left. Is he staying with you?"

Gendry smiles shaking his head, "In the same hotel yes, same room no. Thank the Gods for that. He snores like a fucking beast." She laughs but says nothing, waiting for him to make the next move.

He rubs the back of his neck nervously, "Well then, I won't bother him anymore if they're still together, I wouldn't want to interrupt anything. And uh, sorry I bothered you. I'll see you later, I guess."

As he turns to leave, Arry bites her bottom lip, knowing there might be a chance she is going to regret saying these words if he stands here and rejects the offer she is about to make, "Gendry, wait!"

He turns around to face her, "Are you doing anything today? It's my day off and I don't have plans so maybe, maybe I could show you around the island if you wanted?" She holds her breath waiting for his answer. She has no doubt her day will be shit at this point if he happens to say no.

Gendry smiles brightly, blue eyes gleaming with joy, "That sounds really fun, yeah."

She releases the breath of air she’s been holding and tries to hide her excitement, but fails, "Awesome, follow me."

She steps around him to lock the door and sets the security alarm, and then ushers for him to follow her out the back door.

He does as he’s told and waits for her to lock the back of Dany’s after they exit the building. She walks over to where her bike is parked and holds out an extra helmet for him to take.

“Seriously? This is yours?” He takes the helmet as she gets on her black Kawasaki Ninja.

“What? A girl can’t have a bad ass bike?” She asks shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.

He laughs as they both put on their helmets, “I’m just impressed is all.”

Once he’s on, she yells over her shoulder, “You hungry?”

He nods in confirmation as he slides his arms around her waist, and it makes her body tingle with excitement. She focuses less on his body pressed against hers and more on driving them both to the nearest diner to get breakfast.

Once the bike is parked, they head inside and grab a booth, setting their helmets down on their respected sides while they look at the menus already on the table.

“This place is great, order anything you want, it’s on me.”

He gives her a puzzled look and she puts her hands up in protest to whatever argument he is about to start, “Please. Let it be my way of thanking you for saving me from myself last night. I may have a little bit of a temper. And it tends to get the best of me every now and then.”

Gendry let’s out a soft chuckle, “Well you’re welcome. I didn’t think a bar fight would be very good press for a brand-new nightclub.”

Arry smiles teasingly, “Oh, so it was more about being a Good Samaritan than anything else, that it?”

“Yeah, of course.” He smiles, teasing her back. She could get used to this, but before she can get lost in those blue eyes of his, a nice young waitress walks over to take their order.

Arry orders pancakes and bacon with a side of whipped cream while Gendry orders an omelet with hash browns, both of them agreeing that the waitress needs to keep the coffee coming.

After ordering, they settle back into the booth in a comfortable silence. Arry just wants to talk to him, about anything and everything. She finds comfort in him, something she’s never really had with anyone before.

“So, were you in the same foster home as Grey? Is that how you two know each other?”

“Yeah, we were for a little while. The system is so fucked, everyone gets bounced around so much it’s ridiculously hard to keep up with friends, but Grey and I just kind of stuck around for each other. No matter where we ended up, we always stayed close.”

“That’s nice. What were your foster homes like?” Arry keeps his gaze, while Gendry shifts, slightly uncomfortable.

“Bad. I’m mean for the most part, really bad.”

Arry scrunches her face, displeased with such a vague answer, “Really bad? Come on, even a bastard mechanic can give me a better answer than ‘really bad?’”

Gendry laughs and it’s mixed with amusement and annoyance. “I mean you were an orphan; you know what the shit was like. It was nothing but poor families and drunken bastards who only pretended to be a father for the money. I graduated and got a job and have been on my own since. I don’t need anyone else.”

She looks at the table and then back at him, “We all need someone. We just don’t like to admit it to ourselves. The world is a lonely place, better to have someone to be lonely with.”

Gendry smiles at her, “How can someone so tiny be such a pain in the ass and yet still so wise at the same time?”

For that, he earns himself a kick in the shin under the table from Arry. Their laughter and teasing is short lived as the waitress brings over a tray of hot food.

After they eat, flirty banter still stronger than ever, they walk out into the mid- morning sun and head straight for Arry’s bike.

“So, where to now Milady?”

“I’m going to ignore that because I quite enjoy your company at the moment and don’t feel like killing you yet. Get on; I want to show you something.”

Gendry laughs and joins Arry on her bike once more, arms wrapped securely around her small frame.

They drive out of the city and towards the jungle, the road paved way through luscious green on either side. Before they reach the end of the road, she steers the bike toward a tiny path winding through the trees. It’s only big enough for her bike and it’s almost as if she laid the path there herself. 

Another few minutes pass of dodging mud holes and tree trunks, they finally stop at a small opening in the midst of all the tall trees surrounding them.

Surrounded by trees, there’s a small body of water deep in the ground that’s constantly being filled by a waterfall that sits on a wall of rock with a small cave underneath it.

The flowing of the water falling to the ground is loud and the only sound you can hear and it’s almost euphoric.

Gendry takes off his helmet as the bike comes to a complete stop.

He jumps off of it, memorized by the sight before him, “Holy shit. This place is amazing. How did you find it?”

“I went exploring one day not too long after I got here and stumbled across it. No one else besides me I think has been here; I’ve never seen any tracks or footprints, so I made it my own little spot. I’ve never shown anyone before until now.”

Gendry looks at her, amazement and fear clearly written on his face, “Why’d you bring me here?”

He looks at her dead in the eye, “Wait, is this the part where you murder me for calling you ‘Milady’ knowing you’re the only one who comes here and no one would ever find my body?”

She gives him a playful shove, softer than the night before, “Shut up stupid. I just thought you’d appreciate it as much as I do.”

The sun shines overhead as Arry makes her way further into the opening, stopping just where the black rocky sand meets the water.

She pulls her white t shirt over her head and tosses it to the ground before shimmying out of her blue jean shorts and pulling off her biker boots.

She laughs at the dumbstruck look Gendry has splattered across his face, eyes centered on her half naked body, as she dives headfirst into the small lake centered around the trees and cave.

She bounces up from the water a moment later, “Are you going to make me swim by myself? Oh God, you don’t know how to swim do you?” She’s struggling to hold herself up above the water as she shakes in heavy bursts of laughter.

Gendry gives her a smug smirk, “I know how to bloody swim alright, I just didn’t want to distract you with my gorgeous body, you might drown in there.” Before she has a chance to scoff at his audacity, he too takes his shirt off revealing his ab muscles and a small tattoo centered just above his heart. She can’t make out what it is exactly, but she knows she really wants to be close enough to find out. As her thoughts start to trail dangerously down that path, Gendry removes the contents from his khaki shorts before jumping in the water after her.

He appears in front of her coming up from underneath the water a little longer than she took. Both of them treading breathlessly, they hold each other’s gaze, neither of them wanting to look away.

“I’m glad you brought me here.”

“I am too. And you’re right, no one would ever find your body,” she says before going back under the water.

He laughs at her teasing nature before chasing after her under the water.

After a minute of exploring the reef, now desperate for air they find the surface together, now only inches apart. Starting at his lips, Arry finds herself drawn to him now more than ever. She feels him swim slowly closer to her, current shifting with every stroke of his arms paddling lightly in the water. 

Lips parted, they reach in to close the distance when the sky suddenly drops and releases a heavy downpour of rain.

She’s determined to not let a little more water distract her from finally knowing what his lips feel like on hers as she laughs before wrapping her arms around his neck.

There’s nothing stopping her now, _except_ for a bright flash of lightning accompanied by a loud crack of thunder jarring them both back to the reality that they need to take cover from this unexpected climate change.

They hurry back to the sand, each grabbing their clothes while running to take cover in the cave underneath the crystal-clear waterfall.

Once they’re covered, they throw their now somewhat wet clothes on the ground as Arry leans back against the cave wall, Gendry on the opposite side starting into the stormy sky, and then back at her with an underlining tone in his voice, “Well _that_ was unexpected.”

Arry keeps her eyes focused on his blue ones, “The storm or the other thing? Cause I was starting to really enjoy the other thing…”

Her thought is cut off by Gendry slowly walking towards her, “What are you doing?”

His blue eyes never leave grey, “I’m walking towards you very slow.”

She almost laughs at his obviousness, “Why?”

“Because if I ran, I’d scare you.”

“Why would you run…?” Any thought she had is now completely replaced by him quickly closing the distance between them and then crashing his lips against hers. His hands cradle each side of her head while his tongue begs to enter her mouth.

Her lips part as their tongues fight for control, her hands are now wrapped around his neck, her body voluntarily pulling to his like a magnet, a need to be as close to him as possible.

Gendry places one hand on the cave wall behind her head to keep him steady as his other hand moves down to her waist, lips caressing every inch of her skin from her lips down to her collarbone.

Arry’s eyes roll to the back of her head in sheer pleasure as she tilts her head to rest on Gendry’s arm leaning on the wall, giving him better access to all of her pressure points.

He pulls his lips back from hers as he steadies himself, both arms now against the cave wall on either side of her head.

He leans in, lips hovering over her mouth in a delicate whisper, “I want to know what you _taste_ like.”

Her body reacts to his words, hips jerking towards his as her head falls back against the rock.

One hand still resting on the cave, he traces his fingers along the curve of her body, stopping just where the string of her bikini bottoms are tied together in a little knot on each of her hip bones, and with one pull on each side they fall to the ground at her feet.

Her body shivers but not from the cool air now flowing through her center, but rather the look in Gendry’s eyes as he takes in her now almost completely naked body.

It’s a mixture of want, need, lust and adoration and it’s overwhelming her in ways she’s never experienced before.

He traces kisses down the center of her body, from the top of her stomach and then down around her belly button ring before he stops just below her hips. He gives her a quick look as if he’s asking for permission. The only thing she can do is grab onto the mop of dark brown hair on the top of his head and as if that was his cue, his lips finally find her sweet, and already dripping wet center.

His mouth is warm on her pink swollen lips as his tongue traces her folds and along the inside feverishly, going as deep as it will let him. His mouth has barely been on her a full minute and she swears she’s already seeing stars from the pleasure as a loud moan escapes her lips and reverberates off the hollow cave walls.

“Gods, you taste so good.” He moans into her body.

She feels him smile against her as he uses his finger to slide along her clit with his tongue and she’s starting to get desperate for her release.

She loosens her grip in his hair, hands slamming back against the wall behind her as his finger finally enters her. He pumps it in and out in a slow sweet motion, as he finds his footing and crashes his lips against hers once more.

He pulls back resting his forehead against hers as his finger moves in and out in a fast need of her to come for him. She barely has time to kiss him back before she comes in a wave of blinding pleasure, her legs convulsing in pure spastic ecstasy, center still dripping wet into his hand. He pulls his body away from hers as she comes down from her orgasm. He leans over to wash his hand off in the stream of the waterfall.

“That was…” She’s at a loss for words, only breathing heavily in response. Where words fail her, she lets her mouth do all the talking. She grabs him forcefully, pressing her body against him, her lips tangled around his once more. She pulls back and laughs at his rock-hard cock bulging through his shorts.

“The rain is nothing but a drizzle now, do you want to get out of here?”

He grabs her hand and kisses her mouth quickly, “ _Fuck yes_.”

He throws his shirt over his head as Arry ties back up her bottoms and throws on her discarded shirt and shorts. Hand in hand, they cross the distance between the cave and where the bike is parked in seconds, eager to get somewhere inside, dry and with a bed. They opt to go to Gendry’s hotel room, and luckily for Arry it’s only a ten-minute drive from her spot on the island. Well about five minutes considering she breaks about a half a dozen laws on the way, weaving smoothly through bumper to bumper traffic.

***

He can’t believe this is happening. What happened at the cave was an impulse fueled need to ravish every inch of her body after seeing her want him just as badly as he’s wanted her since the night they met. Sure, he only flirted a little, he didn’t want to come on too strong in fear of rejection, but that doesn’t change the fact he is insanely attracted to Aryiana Rivers and he is actually able to do something about it now that he knows the attraction he feels is just as strong on her part for him.

He’s had a fire building up inside him ever since he met her and now it’s burning out of control. He thanks the Gods above he walked into her bar this morning and she invited him to spend the day with her. This vacation is turning out to be the highlight of his existence thus far.

After a rather short ride over to his hotel, they finally pull into the parking garage where Arry parks her bike before they head inside to catch the nearest lift.

The fact that they both are still carrying their helmets is absolutely not stopping them from kissing each other heavily in the empty lift on the ride up to Gendry’s floor.

Once they are inside and the door is safely latched and secure, they throw the helmets down on the couch beside the door and continue their make-out session from moments before.

Arry lifts his shirt up over his head and throws it across the room as he does the same with hers, only in the opposite direction. Once they are backed up against the edge of the bed, she pushes him softly down on the mattress while she removes her shorts.

“Are you going to leave those on or what?” She asks pointing to his khaki shorts he’s still wearing. He’s stunned, he can’t help it. She is just so fucking amazing to him; he can’t believe she’s real.

“You are so beautiful.” He says keeping her gaze as she reaches her arms back to untie her bikini top and lets it fall graciously to the floor, revealing her bare breasts.

“Shut up and take your bloody pants off.”

He quickly removes his shorts and boxer briefs, finally giving his hard cock the freedom, it’s been longing for since their tryst in the cave.

She definitely has the upper hand over him but he’s not ready to give her the satisfaction she wants just yet. In once swift movement, he pulls her down against him and then flips them over to where he is now hovering on top of her, lips finding hers in an instant.

He grabs both of her hands in his and positions them over her head, strong grip daring her to break it. His lips trail wetly down her neck and the crook in her shoulder, until they find the object of their desire. He takes one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking and trailing every inch with his tongue. He can’t help but smile at the moan she releases from her body when he removes his lips from her pink and swollen breast.

He pushes his hips against hers in a slow antagonizing movement, his cock trailing her clit right at her entrance begging to be let in.

Gendry finds her eyes, a silent question in his expression, but one she understands clearly, “You’re fine, I’m on the pill. Please don’t stop. _Please._ ”

He does not need to be told twice, so with her verbal approval he pushes into her gently, cock twitching around her tight walls.

He sees her head fall back against the pillow in pleasure as he starts to speed up the pace of every thrust.

She finds his rhythm easily while holding onto the back of his hip, fingers gripping his ass as they ride together in a sweet melody.

She’s biting her lip as her eyes roll to the back of her head, “ _Gods, yes, don’t stop. Gendry, please_.”

He watches her as his thrusts become more frantic, and he knows she on the edge of her second orgasm of the day. And it’s all because of _him_ , he loves making her come and it’s sure enough to pull him over the edge with her.

He grabs her leg and throws it over his shoulder to get a better angle and after another thrust or two, that does it for them both. He feels her thighs convulse against him as they ride out the wave together, releasing himself fully inside her tight cunt.

They don’t move for a full minute, only concentrating on breathing deeply, heads still swimming from the rush of their overwhelming orgasms.

He pulls himself out of her gently, already missing the warmth she gave him as he lies down next to her, pulling her body close to his as he tugs the white duvet over them.

He wraps his arm around her as she lays her head on his bare chest, fingers tracing the black Warhammer tattoo centered just above his heart after sliding over his penny necklace hanging from his sweaty neck to get a better look at it.

“What’s the hammer mean?” She says, fingers ghosting his skin causing goosebumps to form on his fore arms.

“My mum used to tell me when I was a boy that I had a heart of steel, shoving people away as a means of protecting myself and that it was only when a special person entered my life that I would hammer away at it as hard as I could, bending the steel to my will to fit them in. That and the fact that I like to beat the shit out of stuff. I’d always find whatever I could and would pound away. I had a bit of a temper. She said that I belonged more in a forge than outside playing with my best mates. She always knew me the best. She died a couple years after that.” He smiles down at her, “She would have liked you.”

“I would have liked her too, probably better than you.” She gives him a smug shit eating grin as he only laughs in return while kissing the top of her head.

“I like _your_ hammer well enough, and you can use it to _pound me_ anytime, bull.”

He groans in complete infatuation of the woman that’s currently naked under his bed sheets, “Careful what you wish for, I just might take you up on that.” He kisses the top of her head, lips lingering a bit longer than normal.

“How about a nap before dinner?” He says exhausted from their adventure today.

“Yes, please.” She agrees, snuggling her head and body closer to him.

He kisses her lips softly before they close their eyes and drift off to a peaceful slumber.

________________________________

She’s not sure how long they’ve been asleep when they both wake up to the incessant ringing of Gendry’s cellphone on the side table near the bed.

He grabs it quickly, eager to stop the noise. “Hello?”

She listens to his one-sided conversation, “Yeah.” “Sounds good.” The next question he must answer sends him into a frenzy of stuttering, “Uh, yeah, umm, she is. Okay.”

Arry sits up, “What’s going on?”

“Grey wants us to meet him and Missandei for dinner, and he somehow knew I was with you.”

“He seems very intuitive, but I actually texted Missandei earlier to tell her I wouldn’t have service for a while today while we were out, and I mentioned we were together. So, I’m sure she told him.”

She shrugs her shoulders and lies back down.

Gendry gets out of bed then, stretching widely as Arry admires his naked body, smiling at her need to continue their lazy streak, “Oh no you don’t, we have to meet them in an hour, get that pretty ass up.”

He walks into the bathroom to get the shower going and she happily follows in behind him.

They huddle together underneath the hot stream, “You’re bloody amazing, you know that.” He says smiling brightly, blue eyes focused on grey.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” She looks down biting her lip. She’s nervous, not because they just had sex or even because they are in the shower together. It’s because she’s really, really enjoying her fake life and she doesn’t want it to end. She doesn’t want to go back to TFM or to Jaqen. She wants to stay in Naath and work at Dany’s and she wants to get to know Gendry better. And it hurts because that’s not going to happen. Besides, he’s leaving soon too. He told her he was only here for a short vacation, she knew this whole time she shouldn’t get close to him this way, but she did it anyway. She pushes those thoughts out of her mind for the time being. Whatever time she has left on this island and in this life, she’s determined to make the best of it.

“You know I don’t have any clothes here, and I am not putting those clothes back on, they’re still wet and stink like sex. Hot, dirty cave, mind blowing sex.”

He laughs and she adores the way the sides of his eyes crinkle when he smiles. Fuck, this is bad and she knows it, but she doesn’t care, she just wants to live in the moment.

He rubs some shampoo through his hair, “I think there’s a women’s clothing store or something downstairs. Maybe you can find something in there, just tell them to charge it to my room.”

She narrows her eyes at him, happy he brought the topic of his hotel room up, “Are you like secretly rich or something, because this is one of the fanciest hotels on the island. I mean you have a fucking balcony overlooking the city and the ocean. A bedroom, living room and a Jacuzzi tub, it’s like an apartment up here.”

He laughs again rinsing the soap out of his hair, “No, I am not rich. And I didn’t pay for this place, my boss did, they have deep pockets so I take advantage of it. I mean I did travel halfway around the world on their dime anyway, just keeping it going for a little while longer.”

She turns around so he can wash her hair, their height difference making it easy for him, “Well if that’s the case, then I’m ordering wine later and a shit ton of room service in the morning.”

He freezes, hands still intertwined through her hair, “What makes you think I’m letting you stay over tonight?”

She smiles smugly even though he can’t see it as she reaches back and grips his cock firmly giving it a wet stroke.

She feels him twitch in her hand at the sensation, “You were saying?”

She turns around then, and before she can say anything else his mouth is suddenly on hers. She deepens the kiss as he grabs her ass and lifts her up. She wraps her legs around his waist as he pushes her back against the shower wall. All thoughts of hair washing and room service are gone out the window.

After their shower, Arry puts on a pair of Gendry’s sweats and a t-shirt and makes her way down to the lobby floor to buy something to wear.

She only takes about 10 minutes to pick something out and then she hastily makes her way back to his room.

She makes her way into the bathroom to change into the black dress she chose. It’s flowy and stops just above her knees. It has a v shaped neckline in the front with the straps going over her shoulders and making an X shape on her back, most of her skin on her bare back showing subtly. Her hair is kept down, drying in curvy waves.

Once she steps out of the bathroom she blushes internally at the way Gendry is eye fucking her from his spot on the messy bed.

“Wow. You look absolutely breathtaking.” He looks down at her bare feet and smiles, “Wearing the biker boots?”

She rolls her eyes as she walks past him towards the couch where she left her other shopping bag, “No, stupid. I bought some sandals too.”

“I feel so under dressed right now.” Gendry states while looking at himself in the living room mirror.

Arry walks up behind him keeping his gaze through the reflection. He’s wearing dark blue jeans and a white button up shirt and he looks so fucking good she wants to jump his bones right then and there.

“You look adequate enough.”

He returns her smile through the mirror, “Thanks.”

_____________________

They get through dinner with only mild teasing from Grey that they spent the day together. He said he called it last night and told them ‘I told you so’ only twice. When the third chance came around Missandei quickly shut him up.

The four of them are now walking down the beach, with Grey and Gendry trailing a little behind the girls.

Grey leans over to Gendry, voice low so no one can hear their conversation, “So, you and Arry seem to be getting close, what are you going to do? Are you going to tell her the truth?”

Gendry shakes his head, not really in the mood to have this discussion right now. Grey is the only person in his life to know that he is MI6, he trusts him with his life so he knew he could trust him with that information too. “What that I’m a spy? That I am in the world of espionage and dangerous criminals try to kill me on a daily basis? Nah, mate. I don’t even know what this is yet; I’m just going with the flow.”

Grey elbows him playfully, “Going with _her_ flow you mean.”

He pushes him into the sand laughing, “Fuck off.”

Arry and Missandei turn around to the sound of their banter, “Oi, what are you blokes on about?”

Gendry doesn’t say a word as he runs headlong to where Arry is standing and then picks her up in a tight bear hug as he spins her around wildly, screaming with pure joy.

She can’t contain her laughter at his sudden childlike demeanor. “Put me down you little shit.” Still laughing she smacks him on the back but then hugs him back even tighter than he’s already holding her.

This moment, this right here, being with her and his friends is pure bliss. Albeit temporary bliss, but still bliss nonetheless.

They find a beach bar dance floor not too much further down and spend the next few hours dancing and drinking and living in _their_ moment. He spins her around to the beat of the music and drums, holding her tightly against him, chin resting on her shoulder as he sways them back and forth.

Later that night after Arry orders wine to his hotel room just like she said she would and hours of more heart numbing sex, they finally drift off for the night, each going to sleep thinking about how the next chapter of their _jobs_ _and lives_ will be able to fit the other one in. It’s impossible they both know it.

Gendry is a spy for MI6 and Arry is a member of the crime organization he’s vowed to take down for good. Their lives are tangled together so dangerously close and they don’t even know it. But when the fire dies, only smoke is left.


	7. I'm Pretty Sure The World Is Out To Get Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He can feel her uneasy breathing against his chest, and it makes his heart constrict, both at the closeness and at the fear that he knows she feels.
> 
> Shorter chapter but I wanted to go ahead and get this one out as soon as I could. 
> 
> Happy AxG Week! (Even though this one doesn't count.)
> 
> Heavy by Linkin Park, Kiiara

Present Day- Dorne to High Garden 

He feels the rush of the train doors close behind him as soon as he steps on and it just about knocks him off his feet at how he was a millisecond away from almost letting Arya getting away from him, again. His heart is beating erratically in his chest as he chases after her as she’s running down the car of the train as it flies down the tracks in the opposite direction. He hadn’t meant for her to overhear his phone call, it’s not like he was deliberately keeping the information of his former occupation a secret from her at this point, he just assumed that she would find out eventually, but he hadn’t expect her to react like _that_.

Sure, he expected her to be pissed, outraged and maybe even feel a little bit of betrayal. I mean after all she did have a relationship with him without knowing that he was out to take her down, even though he didn’t know who she was either and with her temper, that was bound to piss her off. He excepted a punch to the face or other bodily harm, not her _running_ away from him like her life depended on it.

“Wait!” He’s yelling now, determined to get to her while she’s still within sight.

She turns her head back to look at him, but then only continues to practically run down to the end of the car.

He finally reaches her as she stops at the back of the car, determined to get to the next car down, she pulls hard on the locked door, “Fuck!”

“Arya!” He grabs her arm to pull her around to face him, “There’s nowhere else to go, just _stop_.”

They’re standing very close to each other now, not wanting any unwanted attention. He can feel her uneasy breathing against his chest, and it makes his heart constrict, both at the closeness and at the fear that he knows she feels.

She looks up at him with dark grey eyes and unshed tears, “Are you here to kill me?”

He feels as if she just knocked the breath out of him, “Is that why you ran? Because you think I was sent to find you, to _kill_ you?” He grabs her hand in an instant leading them back down to an empty sleeper cabin and ushers her to follow him in. He turns around to face her after making sure the door is securely locked.

“Sit.” They both sit at the small table not saying a word as Gendry throws down his black duffle bag in the seat beside him. He holds her gaze as they stare each other down until he finally breaks.

“Why in the seven hells do you think I’m here to _end your life_?” He says the words as he feels the bile in his throat rise at what they mean.

“No, no. You’re going to answer _my_ questions first, bull. Are you MI6 or not? Did Stannis Baratheon or Melisandre send you to find me?”

Gendry shakes his head, “What in the bloody hell is going on Arya?”

She folds her arms across her chest and gives him _that_ look, the one where she isn’t saying a damn thing until she gets the answers she wants.

He knows she’s not going to tell him anything until he spills first. He sighs and leans his head against the wall behind him. “I’m not MI6, not anymore. I got out right after we took down Jaqen H’ghar.”

She raises her eyebrows as if she’s telling him to continue, “I was MI6 when we met. But I wasn’t there for you, I didn’t know who you really were at the time, and I assume you didn’t know who I really was either.” She stays quiet during his confession, so he continues.

“Yesterday, I was greeted by a former _friend_ from MI6 that needed my assistance in tracking down Arya Stark, the last remaining fugitive of The Faceless Men. He figured I would be the best fit with my MI6 background and now current occupation as a bounty hunter. I mean that is the point of the job, right?” He laughs but she is not amused.

“Anyway, he told me where they thought I could potentially find you, although no one at MI6 including myself knew what Arya Stark really looked like, so on their part, it was still a longshot. You can imagine my surprise when I showed up looking for Arya Stark but found you instead. The girl I only knew as Aryiana Rivers. It wasn’t until your co-worker referred to you as _Nym_ that I figured out you were Arya Stark and not Aryiana Rivers like I thought.”

Arya keeps her grey eyes fixed on blue, “So, what, you were just supposed to bring me back alive, that it?”

“Yes. I was to bring you in, and you were to be put on trial for your crimes according to my source, who I still happen to trust, mind you, what happens after that is beyond me.”

Arya laughs, not an ounce of humor present, “Bullshit. That red bitch has been after me for years. It’s only when I was the last _man_ left, she decided I was a liability that she made it a point for her little minions to take me out for good. I’ve been running from them for a year now, Gendry. Every couple of months a new one will show up and I barley escape with my life each time. She’s threatened my family. My innocent brothers and sister, who don’t even know if I am alive or not. She knows where they live, where Bran goes to school, where Sansa works. I had to take drastic measures to ensure their safety. They don’t even know they have people protecting them twenty-four hours a day. They’re never safe. I’m never safe and the longer you’re around me, you won’t be either.”

Gendry shakes his head, not believing a word she says. “How am I supposed to believe that what you’re telling me right now is the truth? You’ve lied to me since the day I met you, Arry. I was with MI6 for a long time, they wouldn’t send me on a mission without disclosing the full intention. Or at least my _friend_ wouldn’t. And how did they even know who you really were if no one else did? Everything the agency knew about you was just speculation, the only thing that was confirmed was that you ran away after your family’s murder and no one has seen or heard from Arya Stark since. You were off the grid for so long that you simply became a ghost of your own making.” He honestly couldn’t believe her and it’s only because he was sure Davos wouldn’t lie to him like this. Would he?

“They’re the directors of MI6, they have to know everything about everything. They played you Gendry, that’s what they do. They’re spies. And Melisandre is the worst of the worst. You can’t trust them.”

Gendry almost smiles, “You’re saying I can trust you then?”

“I didn’t say that. Believe what you want about them, it’s not the point here. The point is they are after me whether they sent you intentionally or not and the longer you stay with me, the more danger you’re in as a liability. I can’t protect myself and you at the same time and I won’t be responsible if something happens to you. I _can’t_.”

He senses her desperation in her plea for his safety. His heart aches for her, for them both.

He tries to lighten the situation, “What makes you think I need you to protect me? You may be an assassin Arya Stark, but I’m just as capable, I was a _spy_ remember?”

She shakes her head not having any of it, “When this train stops, wherever it stops, I’m disappearing. Don’t come after me, Gendry. It’s better this way.”

He gets up and looks out the window on the door, “Stay here.”

He walks out casually into the small aisle and taps on the door of the cabin adjacent to theirs. An elderly man opens it while his wife sits patiently waiting for him in their room, “Can I help you, lad?”

Gendry smiles pointing over his shoulder at Arya behind him, “Yeah, I think my girlfriend here may have put us on the wrong train by mistake, can you tell me where this one is going?”

The old man laughs, “Final destination is Lannisport, but there’s a quick stop in Highgarden if you need to change trains.”

Gendry smiles before closing their door, “Thank you.”

He sits back down with Arya, but she’s the first to speak, “I’m getting off at Highgarden, stay on this train Gendry. Don’t follow me.”

“The hell I am. I’m not losing you again.”

Arya raises her eyebrows at his admission as Gendry stutters to correct himself, “I uh, I just mean I still have to bring you in, I’ll keep you safe until we reach my contact, I need to figure out what the _fuck_ is going on. And the only way to do that is to bring you with me.”

“We’ll see about that.” Arya says in defiant stubbornness.

“It looks like we have a couple of hours until the next stop that you may or may not be getting off at. If you didn’t know who I was back then and you weren’t in any danger from MI6 then why did you leave the way you did, without saying goodbye or giving me a reason _why_? I wanted to be with you Arya. I wanted more, I never wanted to just be your weekend lover.”

She can see the sincerity in his eyes, but that’s not stopping her, “You know you just quoted a _Prince_ song, right?” She’s laughing now as he feels his anger rising.

“Fuck off with the jokes Arya, I’m bloody serious. You broke my heart and you can’t even give me a fucking reason why!”

Her laughter dies in her throat at him raising his voice at her, “You don’t need to bloody know why, stupid! That’s my business, not yours. I had to leave and that’s all you need to know. It’s in the past and there’s nothing we can do about it now, alright?” She turns her eyes away from him to stare out the window, tears now ready to spill at any second.

He doesn’t push the subject. If Arya doesn’t want to do something, she’s not going to do it, this he knows. He settles back down into his seat, desperate to get comfortable; this is going to be a long ride.

_______________________________

She stares out the window, eyelids heavy from the amount of emotions that ran through her all at once in the early morning hours. She wants to sleep; she wants to run and scream and forget everything. But she also wants to stay, she wants to have Gendry in her arms, and she wants to kiss him and tell him everything, everything from her past, everything she’s done. But that’s impossible.

She contemplates her next move and how she’s going to get off this damn train. However, if that happens there’s one thing she knows for sure. And that’s that she needs better shoes than these measly flip flops he gave her from the hotel’s lost and found this morning.

She looks over at Gendry who seems to be fast asleep at the rate of his breathing and the way his chest falls and rises.

She slips out of the cabin with ease, careful not to wake him in her search for better footwear. She finds the luggage compartment at the back of the train, not to far from where Gendry is sleeping.

Arya picks the lock with ease and grabs the first bag she can reach. Not finding anything in the first two, she tries her luck once more and on the third bag, she finds a decent pair of dirty Converses that are about her size. She slips off her own shoes and replaces them in the bag. _They won’t miss them too much_ , she tells herself as she slips on the chucks.

She puts everything back as she found it and locks the door back behind her.

As she slides back in the cabin she’s sharing with Gendry, she notices he’s already awake and fuming at her.

She shrugs her shoulders, “What?”

“Don’t try anything like that again, you’re lucky I don’t zip tie your hand together with mine.”

Arya rolls her eyes at his over dramatic self, “I didn’t try to escape, we’re on a moving train, remember, I just wanted better shoes.”

He looks at her, eyes a darker blue than before, “Are you ready to talk yet?”

She folds her knees to her chest wrapping her arms around her legs, “I don’t have anything else to say.”

She feels his eyes stay on hers, “Did you love me?” He mirrors her words from the previous night, and she wants to punch him in his stupid beautiful face.

_I still do._

She looks at him with watery eyes, “No.” She lies.

Gendry looks at her and she knows he doesn’t believe the lie.

“Please just tell…” She cuts him off before he even gets the words out, already knowing what he is going to ask.

“I swear to every God in the sky Gendry, let it go or I’m getting off this train in Highgarden while you are unconscious where you sit.”

He huffs, “I’d like to see you try.”

She narrows her eyes at him, almost tempted to teach him a lesson about how quick and deadly she really is, but she quickly wipes that thought away as she stares back at him with big grey eyes.

“Please, don’t make me beg,” she pleads.

He gives her a knowing and flirtatious smirk, “You know I love it when you _beg._ ”

She gives him a small smile, grateful at the change of subject even though they’re dancing on dangerous territory at bringing up their past.

Arya looks out the window and she knows he can feel the tension radiating off her body, “Hey, I’m not going to let anything happen to you alright. Or myself for that matter.”

Arya turns to face him, “Good. Go back to your life Gendry. Continue to be a bounty hunter if that’s what you want, just be safe and live your life. I will take care of my problems without you getting in the way because you feel an obligation to finish your bounty and do your job. Tell your contact at MI6 that I got away and leave it be.”

Gendry looks at her, eyes bluer than she’s ever seen, “Is that why you think I’ve stuck around this long? Because I need to finish my job?”

Arya looks confused, “Well isn’t?”

He looks down and laughs and then looks back at her, “Part of it is, yes. But it’s not the whole part.” He looks down again, hesitance clear in his expression.

“Arya, I…”

Before he can finish, a woman’s voice is heard throughout the train announcing their arrival at their first stop in Highgarden. The train slows down dramatically as passengers and employees alike begin head for the exit doors to get off the train.

Arya gets up and heads for the door to their cabin but is stopped by a strong arm gripping her left wrist on the doorknob, “You’re not going anywhere, not without me.”

She looks at him, grey eyes wide with anger and a little bit of sadness, “Are you sure you want to try to stop me?”

He says nothing, so Arya continues, “Okay, if that’s the way it’s gotta be.” She puts all her weight on her right side as her arm reaches back and her fist collides with Gendry’s face.

He stumbles back, weary on his feet at her sudden lunge and she takes the momentary opportunity to pull the door to the cabin open and run towards the exit. It doesn’t take Gendry long to recover as he’s fast on his feet and right on her heel. She jumps off the train, completely skipping the set of stairs leading to the ground. It takes her a split second to find an exit strategy as Gendry jumps off the train right behind her.

Arya runs, thankful for the change in shoes, and heads straight for the back alley on the other side of the train station they’ve stopped at.

As she steps in between the buildings, she feels a familiar grip on her arm, but she’s determined to not let him stop her. She ducks down and spins around, kicking her leg as she does to knock him off his feet.

Her leg collides with Gendry’s rock-hard calf as she brings him down to her level. She does another spin, but this time Gendry is ready for it as he catches her quickly bringing them both up to stand in place as he wraps his elbow around her neck, her body pressed back tightly against his.

She laughs, “Happy to have me in this position, eh?”

He smiles against her ear, “Don’t flatter yourself, that’s just my _gun_.”

She chuckles as she elbows him in the face making him stumble back.

They go back in forth with the same dance, a punch here, a kick there. She’s not trying to hurt him; she just needs to get away. If she can just get him off his feet long enough, she can make a run from it. But she feels as if the only way she can get away now is to subdue him in the quickest way possible.

Before Gendry even knows what hit him, her fists pummels into his chest knocking him off balance as she grabs his gun tucked away in his pants.

She points it directly at him as he struggles to get air back in his lungs, “You’re not going to shoot me, Arya. I think I know you a little better than that.”

She smiles softly, tears filling her eyes to the brim, “You have no idea who I am.”

He grabs the wall beside him as a single gunshot reverberates throughout the alley and his mind goes blank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo the next 2 1/2 chapters will conclude the Naath flashbacks, I need to get that out of the way for storyline purposes. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	8. How You Changed My World You'll Never Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He exhales heavily, forehead still pressed to hers, “You’ll be the death of me one day I swear.”  
> Arry smiles under his touch, “How are you even real?” 
> 
> Angel of Mine- Monica

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a long one, and three smut scenes. ;) ♥

Five Years Ago- Naath- Saturday

Gendry stirs in his sleep, images of brown hair and grey eyes on the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen flood his mind as his eyes open slowly, coming back to reality. He rolls over and reaches an arm out, eager to have said woman from his dreams in his arms once more, only he finds her spot in his bed empty and lifeless. He sits up alarmed at the emptiness he feels without her, sleep all but forgotten.

He looks around the room with no sign of her within sight and just before he calls out her name, he hears hushed voices coming from the doorway. He gets out of bed and follows the sound to find Arry standing in front of the now open hotel door, a room service tray being brought in by a clearly embarrassed young man that he assumes works in the hotel’s kitchen.

Once he notices Arry’s appearance, the young man’s embarrassment makes total sense. Her hair is down and messy and she’s wearing nothing but his long sleeve button up shirt from the night before. It stops just below her ass, hardly leaving anything to the imagination. It’s the most beautiful sight he’s ever woken up too and he can’t help but let his smile spread from ear to ear.

The kitchen worker gives him a sheepish smile before backing out of the room and closing the door behind him.

He walks up to Arry who is picking at the food on the tray, “I thought you ran out on me this morning, didn’t know this was going to be a hit it and quit it type thing.”

She punches him playfully in the chest as he wraps an arm around her waist, kissing her on the top of her head.

She smiles up at him, “You’re not getting rid of me that easy. I was just making good on my promise to order food and make you pay for it.” She smirks at him as she pops a grape into her mouth.

He looks at the cart and then back at her, “Well if that’s what it takes to put a smile on your face, then by all means, order away m’lady.”

She giggles, “Stupid.”

“Do I get any of this spread?”

She narrows her eyes at him, contemplating his question, “I suppose I can share.”

They eat the breakfast Arry ordered at the dining table in the living room area of Gendry’s hotel room, leaving empty plates and mimosa flutes on the cart for the hotel staff to get later in the day after they’re finished.

Still clad in only Gendry's shirt, Arry walks out onto the balcony and leans against the railing, taking in the cool morning sun hidden behind a few stray clouds, wind blowing her shirt and hair just enough for her body to relax in the atmosphere.

Gendry, shirtless and wearing only grey sweatpants, walks out to join her, pulling her body flush against his as he rests his chin on the top of her head.

"What do you feel like doing today, m'lady?"

She holds on to his hands that are clasped together against her stomach, "I feel like kicking you in your pretty face if you don't stop calling me that."

He laughs as he nuzzles his face in the crook of her neck kissing it softly, her body reacting instantly to the new sensation of his mouth on her body. She strains her neck on the opposite side to give him better access.

"Mhmm, as fun as that sounds for _you_ , I was thinking a little more of this," he kisses her neck, leaving a trail of wet kisses from her shoulder all the way to the edge of her mouth.

Her body encourages his touch as she sticks to his like a magnet, feeling his hardness straining against his pants.

Arry turns around in his arms and gives him a shove, urging him to walk backwards inside the room. As soon as she is in far enough and without taking his eyes off hers, he reaches both arms out over her head to shut the double balcony doors behind her.

In a flash, he grabs her ass, pulling her against him once more as he grips her thighs and hoists her up to wrap her legs around his waist.

His mouth is on her neck once more and she moans at the feeling of ecstasy that courses through her entire being.

Gendry throws her on the bed and lifts his shirt up on her to reveal just how naked she really is underneath it.

Her grey eyes darken under his gaze and he lets out a possessive groan at the woman lying half-dressed on his bed.

He wastes no time in getting what it is he is after as his mouth finds her cunt and he moans at how wet she already is for him.

He licks and sucks on her skin on the inside of her thigh, leaving a red mark there marking his territory, much like he did the previous day in the cave.

Arry tangles her fingers in his hair, back arching back, and eyes rolling to the back of her head. He repeats the motions over and over again, switching from licking and sucking all the while she writhes underneath him.

"Gendry, _please_."

He looks up at her from his spot in between her thighs, "What was that?"

She gives him an angry look, desperate for him to touch her in all the right ways.

"I need you, _please_. Don’t make me beg.”

"I love it when you beg though, but as you wish m'lady."

She can't help but smile at his ridiculousness as he stands up from the edge of the bed and pulls down his sweatpants, his ready cock just as desperate for her touch as she is for his. While he removes his pants, she lifts his shirt over her head and off her body and throws it across the room, not caring at all where it lands.

She opens her legs ready for him to enter her, but he grabs her thigh and motions for her to flip over onto her stomach before she has a chance to register the new position, he wants her in.

Gendry grabs a fist of her hair and pulls back and she moans at the pleasure her body gives her from it as his cocks fills her sopping wet cunt in a quick swift movement.

One hand grabbing Arry by the hair, the other one roaming her back softly, aching to feel every inch of her skin under his fingertips, he pulls out of her slowly until just the tip of his cock is right inside her entrance.

She starts to argue, but before she even gets a word out, he thrusts into her hard, repeating the motion of pulling out slowly and thrusting into her hard until he builds up the perfect tempo to hit every pleasure point her body can react to.

She fists the bed sheets in her hand until her knuckles turn white. It's too much, he's too much and she's losing control.

"Gendry, I'm going to..."

He knows she's close and he is too, "Come for me, love."

That does it for her as she arches her head back into his hand, thighs quivering as she rides out her orgasm and just the sight of her coming under his command is enough to send him over the edge with her as he empties his seed inside of her, sweating glistening every inch of skin on their bodies.

Still inside her, she rests her body back against his until their breathing evens out back to normal.

She removes herself from him slowly, falling onto the bed and laying the thin bed sheet across her body lazily, not caring about which body parts she is or isn't covering up.

Gendry lies down beside her still fully naked and exposed, "That was amazing."

He turns his head to the side to smile at her adoringly, "You're amazing. _Where have you been all my life_?" He says dramatically.

She rolls her eyes at his cheesiness but smiles brightly anyways.

She jumps up suddenly like a light bulb just went off inside her mind, scaring Gendry in the process as she rummages through the discarded clothing on the floor. She finds her t-shirt and shorts from their cave trip yesterday and puts them on.

"Come on, let's go."

He sits up in the bed, body propped up by his elbows burring into the mattress, "Where are we going?"

She throws his sweatpants at him while she tries to find him a decently clean shirt on the floor without going through his luggage, "It's a surprise."

He does as he’s told as Arry throws on her new sandals she bought the night before and waits for him at the door.

She grabs his hand and leads him down the hallway to the lift; memories of their make-out session come back to the front of their minds in full swing. They get on still holding hands as Gendry says, “Wait, is this the part where you kill me and dump my body in the dumpster in the back alley?”

Arry rolls her eyes at him, “Why are you so insist that I am out to cause you bodily harm? Am I that intimidating or something?”

He looks at her completely serious, “Yes! It’s hard to believe that someone as amazing as you would want a bastard nobody like me.”

He kisses her hand that his is holding and smiles.

“You really don’t give yourself enough credit, Gendry. You’re bloody _gorgeous_ and any girl would be lucky to have you. I’m just glad that girl is me.” She gives him a genuine bright smile and his heart pounds erratically in his chest at the sight of it.

“Me too.” The lift doors open then as Arry drags him through the front lobby, past the boutique she bought her dress at and to the other side of the resort.

They come to a large door at the end of the hall and stop in front of it.

Arry smiles up at him “Follow me.”

It’s then as he looks at her, big grey eyes shining brightly with wonder and mischief that he realizes he’d follow her anywhere.

She opens the large double doors and they enter a huge atrium, engulfed inside the room are trees and flowers alike in one of the most beautiful gardens he’s ever seen. Intertwined throughout the room and garden is a winding river with bridges and a small walking trail.

“I found this place yesterday when I went shopping, thought you might like to see it. It reminds me of my favorite spot on the island.”

He takes her by the hand, to in awe to say anything as they walk through keeping a slow pace behind the other hotel guests walking in front of them.

They marvel at the beauty as they come upon the beginning of the river where a small rowboat sits with a sign that says, “Back in five.”

Gendry looks around but sees no one else in sight. He hops in the boat and reaches out a hand for Arry to take.

“What are you doing? We can’t steal a rowboat, Gendry.” She scolds him like a child.

“We’re not _stealing_ , we’re _borrowing_. Come on, where’s your sense of adventure, Rivers?”

She narrows her eyes at him as he challenges her to argue further. She looks around to make sure no one is watching before she takes his hand and steps inside the boat with him and sits down reluctantly.

“Please sit back and enjoy the ride, m’lady.” He picks up the single oar and starts to paddle as Arry rolls her eyes at his attempt at humor.

He guides through the water smoothly, and clearly having done something like this before.

They stay quiet as the boat flows through the river slowly, stealing glances and shy smiles every other few seconds.

The peace is soon interrupted as they hear a man yelling from down where they started rowing, the owner they assume, clearly livid at someone stealing his boat.

They both look down the river to where the sound came from and then at each other and then to the other side of the room where a security guard has realized what the commotion is all about.

“Shit.” They say in unison as they jump out of the boat and onto the pathway beside it.

They quickly make their way out of the atrium, guard right on their heel although a little slower and panting heavily. He obviously hasn’t had this much excitement since starting this job, boat thieves uncommon around these parts.

“Hey! Stop right there!”

Hand in hand, they run down the hall as fast as they can with the biggest smiles on their faces.

They round a corner and open the first door they can, luckily quick enough to where the guard won’t know where they went by the time he rounds the same corner.

It’s the stairwell to the basement where housekeeping’s headquarters are kept and it’s empty and eerily quiet sans for the heavy breathing of the two newest and only occupants.

Gendry leans back against the wall trying to catch his breath as Arry leans down clutching her knees in front of him.

He steps forward as she stands up to face him fully, “That was awesome!” He exclaims while she just continues to stare at him with a certain mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Before he can ask what’s on her mind, she pushes him back against the wall and crashes her lips on his in an instant. The force knocks his head against the brick wall, and it stings slightly but the feel of her lips on his and her hands running down his chest and abs is the only thing his mind can concentrate on at the moment. She moves her lips from his and then down to his neck and collarbone eliciting a moan from deep within his core.

She pulls his shirt up enough to trace her mouth down his stomach, stopping just where the hem of his pants falls on his hips. She grabs each side of his sweatpants ready to pull them down as his hands freeze on hers.

He stares down at her ready to protest such an action in a public place but the amount of lust and want in her eyes stops the words in his throat.

He swallows hard as a groan bubbles through his chest and he ultimately releases his grip on her hands.

She smirks in triumph as she drops his sweatpants and boxer briefs down to his ankles in one swift movement releasing his already rock-hard cock.

The thought of Arry giving him a blowjob right here ready to be caught by anyone at any given moment is arousing him more than he’d like to admit. He’s not sure if it’s the thrill of exposure or the woman on her knees in front of him that’s making him feel this way. And he can’t help but wonder at what he did in this life to get so fucking lucky to meet her.

She grabs his cock firmly, using the pearl colored wetness on the tip to guide her hand smoothly up and down his long shaft.

He grabs onto her hair holding the strands back from her face as she takes him fully into her mouth, letting her own hand guide her mouth back and forth.

She alternates between sucking and rolling her tongue around and around as she tightens her grip on his thighs, fingernails sinking in so deep she’s sure she’s drew blood there.

On instinct, his hips thrust forward pushing himself deeper into her mouth and he can’t hold on too much longer.

He’s so close and needs her to know it. “Arry…”

As if sensing what he’s feeling, she gives his thigh a tight squeeze indicting she’s ready for what he’s about to do.

With one more roll of her tongue, he tightens his grip in her hair and stills his entire body, letting his seed fill her mouth to the brim. Once her mouth is full, she swallows quickly and then releases her mouth from him, wiping at the wetness dripping a little down the side of her mouth.

He leans back against the wall breathlessly after he pulls his sweatpants back up his exposed legs, sweat dripping from his forehead from both the pleasure and the thrill of getting caught, which thankfully has not happened yet.

Arry leans back against the railing opposite him and crosses her arms against her chest smugly.

“You have such a _dangerous_ side, Rivers. You are so fucking _perfect_.”

She smirks at him, “You have no fucking clue, Waters.”

She closes the distance between them and kisses his cheek while grabbing his hand leading him down the stairway.

They come across an employee bathroom for the maids just beside the laundry room door.

They enter slowly, ready to run if anyone is inside to catch them but find it empty.

Arry heads straight to the sink to rinse the sweet and salty taste of Gendry out of her mouth. She wipes the water from her face with a paper towel, “I need sustenance and to get ready to head over to Dany’s. I have to go in early to clean the kitchen from the brunch Missandei had this morning before my shift starts. She’d do it herself, but she has a _date_ with Grey, so I told her I would.”

They walk down the hall to catch the lift back up to Gendry’s room.

“Is Aryiana Rivers Ms. Cupid now?” He says with a wink.

“Shut up, stupid. She’s my best friend and I want her to be happy and he clearly makes her happy.”

He looks down at her as they enter the lift and he presses the button for the right floor, “I think she’d want the same for you. I know I do.”

He sees the color in her cheeks turn to light pink as they step off the lift and walk down to his room.

They order more room service for a late lunch and shower together after they eat. Arry opts to keep wearing her overly used and dirty t-shirt and shorts from the past twenty-four hours since she has cleaning duty to tend to anyways. She’d change into clean clothes before her shift starts.

It’s an unspoken notion that Gendry will be wherever Arry is tonight and for the rest of the time he spends on the island, however long that may be, either of them not wanting to part from the other for a second.

They take her bike back to Dany’s with just enough time to clean up and get ready to open on time.

There’s a music festival on the other side of the island this weekend so Arry assumes this side of the island will be crawling with new visitors from all over Essos throughout the night.

***

She unlocks the bar and turns off the security alarm. Once she and Gendry are inside, she locks the door back and heads for the kitchen, Gendry following silently behind her.

Upon opening the kitchen door her mouth drops wide open at the number of dishes that are piled in the large industrial sink.

She turns to Gendry now standing beside her in the doorway, “Unlimited free beer all night if you help me do these.”

He smiles down at her, “Deal.”

They each grab a pair of yellow cleaning gloves, “But for the record, I would have helped you even without the offer of free beer.”

She looks at him to see the sweetest smile brighten his blue eyes and feels the butterflies start to form deep in her belly at the sight of him. _What is he doing to me?_ She thinks to herself and averts her eyes away from him as she feels the blood flow to her cheeks. The sex she can handle, but the feelings that come with it are foreign to her and she doesn’t know what to do. With Gendry it’s different, it’s not just sex, and it’s more intimate in ways she’s never experienced before. And she never ever wants to lose that feeling. Obligations and duty to her real life be damned if need be, she knows what she wants.

“Is it too late to retract the offer?”

He turns on the water, scrubbing plates with dish soap and then handing them to Arry to rinse in the sink parallel to his, “Yes.”

She gives him a smirk as she rinses the plates, he hands her with the sink’s water spray hose. They wash the remaining dishes in a comfortable silence and pace.

As he hands her the last dish, she accidentally holds the spray handle down further onto his side of the sink and it splashes a little.

He feigns attitude at the action, “Hey watch it. My side looks good, no need to clean it up anymore as I have done a meticulously clean and shiny job over here.”

She scoffs at his boasting, “I wasn’t trying to correct your cleanliness, but that shirt you’re wearing is looking a little dirty,” she says holding the sprayer up towards him.

His eyes go wide, “Don’t you dare.”

Before he has a chance to dodge her, she lets the handle loose, soaking his face and shirt completely.

He ducks slightly grabbing her waist pulling her toward him halfway in the air to grab the handle away from her, turning it around to soak her too.

She laughs and screams in joy as she kicks her legs in the air under his grip around her waist, struggling to gain control, water splashing all over them both.

Once they realize the floor is covered in a puddle of water and fear of risking a potential slip and fall injury, Arry reaches over to shut the water off fully sliding down onto the wet floor shaking with laughter.

Gendry slides down the sink to sit on the floor beside her as he pushes a wet strand of hair out of her face to kiss her lips softly with his.

He pulls back slowly but she keeps her eyes closed as he releases his lips from her, already missing the feel of it.

“Come on, let’s get you dry before you have to sling more liquid around later.”

He stands up and reaches his arms down for her to take her hands in his. She grabs his hands and he pulls her up from the floor swiftly, crashing her body against his and brings her in for one more feverishly passionate kiss.

They head upstairs to rid themselves of their wet clothes with Arry needing to replace her own with clean ones before diving into her bartender role later and Gendry needing to throw his into the dyer so he can wear them again when he keeps Arry company tonight on her shift.

They walk into her bedroom in the loft upstairs above the bar she shares with Missandei and she watches as Gendry looks around curiously, eyes finally landing on hers with a sweet smile.

She removes her soaking wet t-shirt and she watches as his eyes turn from a lighter shade of blue to a darker shade at the sight of her half naked in front of him. It sends a shiver down her body and she will never ever get used to that feeling she is starting to love oh so much.

He discards his wet long-sleeved off-white shirt and she bites her lips at how fucking _good_ he looks.

She walks toward him with hungry eyes as he matches her pace to close the distance between them. Arry runs her hands along his chest and down his stomach, stopping at the button of his jeans to remove them fully.

He does the same with the rest of her clothes until they are both completely naked.

“Wait here.”

She picks up his wet clothes and leaves the room to put them in the dyer. She returns a moment later and finds him lying down naked on her bed.

She gives him a devilish smile as she shuts her bedroom door and locks it before joining him on the bed, straddling his lap.

She grabs his hands and holds them in place over his head, “Don’t move these. If you move them an inch, I get off this bed and don’t touch you again until after my shift. Understand?”

She watches as he only nods his head in response, clearly turned on by her dominance if his hardening cock is any indication.

“Good boy.”

She removes her hands from his as he keeps them in place as told, as she moves her lips from his, and then down to his neck and chest.

Once she feels as if though her torturing him is beginning to be too much for either of them, she lifts her hips to place his cock at her entrance and then lets him ease into her slowly as she watches him drop his head back down into the mattress in sheer pleasure.

She picks up the pace of her moving hips and keeps her gaze on his to make sure he is still doing as he’s told; she wants him to enjoy this.

She leans her body back to hold on to his leg as she rides him faster and faster and she can’t take it anymore, she needs his hands on her body, now.

“Touch me Gendry.”

Once again, he does as he’s told and sits up on the bed so that they are in sitting position together, still matching each other’s pace thrust for thrust. He grabs a fist of her hair and pulls hard and she laughs at the feeling of pleasure it gives her. She’s really starting to like when he does that, and he knows it. His lips soon find her hard nipple as he takes him mouth on her breast, tongue licking and sucking every inch of skin it can find.

He pulls her hair harder and she knows he’s close to his release.

“I’m ready.” He gives her one last searing kiss as they ride out their orgasms together.

She rolls off him and snuggles into his chest as he pulls her body as close to him as possible.

Arry stays quiet, only fidgeting with her black braided bracelet she always wears. He looks down at her as he traces her bracelet with his fingers, “This is special to you isn’t? You never take it off.”

It takes her a minute to respond, trying to think of a way to tell him about it. She thinks about Rickon, about how excited he was when he gave it to her after he made it. It’s the only thing she has of her younger brother and her heart clenches at his memory. She doesn’t want to lie to him, but she can’t exactly tell him the truth either, so she tries to find a decent balance in between the truth and a lie.

“My brother made it for me, my first foster brother. They were such a good family and I was so happy there. It didn’t work out though, not the way I wanted it to. It’s the only thing I have left to remind me of them. Of what could have been.” She feels the tears prickle her eyes, but she manages to keep them at bay.

He doesn’t say anything and she’s thankful for it. He kisses the top of her head, arms holding her tighter.

“How long before we have to get up?”

Arry looks at her alarm clock, “Ten minutes. I have to prepare to open before Missandei gets back from her date.”

Gendry laughs under her, “Who would have thought our best friends and then us.”

Arry smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes, “Certainly not me,” she says sadly and softly, barely audible, thinking about the uncertainty of their future.

They stay quiet, only holding onto one another for the next ten minutes before Arry gets up and changes into clean clothes for her shift. She opts for a simple black and white striped t-shirt under a pair of black overall shorts. She throws the top half of her hair back into a ponytail before going to get Gendry’s now dry clothes out of the dryer.

She throws them at him on her bed, “Come on lazy, I have a job to do and I need you down there to keep me sane for the rest of the night.”

“Whatever you say, m’…” The word dies in his throat as she points a finger at him, shooting daggers out of her eyes.

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence!”

He only laughs as he jumps out her bed to throw his clothes on.

__________________

The first few hours of opening go by slow, with the only occupants apart from Arry behind the bar and Gendry at the bar in front of her are a couple sitting cozy at one of the couches in the back corner.

A few other patrons start to fill in as Missandei and Grey return from their date for the night. Missandei goes upstairs to change into better clothes more suitable for running a soon to be busy bar while Grey greets Gendry warmly joining him at the barstool on his left.

Arry greets them both after making a drink for the girls on the other end of the bar, “How was the date?” She asks while handing them each a beer, beer that she owes Gendry for free for the rest of the night.

Grey smiles at her before taking a sip, “Really well actually. Missandei and I have a lot of history but that doesn’t seem to matter now, we’re both really happy.”

Gendry claps him on the back, “I’m really happy for you, mate. You deserve it.”

Missandei returns from the kitchen a moment later, face in scrunched confusion, “Arry, why is there water all over my kitchen floor?”

Arry looks at Gendry both wide eyed with realization before it turns in loud laughter in them both.

“Shit, I’m sorry Miss. I forgot to clean it up; I’ll go do it now.”

Arry runs off to clean up the mess they made of the kitchen when doing the dishes earlier as Missandei joins Gendry and Grey sitting at the bar.

“Did I miss something?”

Grey only shrugs as Gendry shakes his head, “It’s nothing. But I’m glad you’re here, there’s something I wanted to ask you, about Arry.”

Missandei narrows her eyes at Grey, and then back at Gendry, “Okay, what is it, love?”

Gendry rubs the back of his neck nervously, “Well, I wanted to…”

He trails off as he takes a deep breath before continuing, “I wanted to ask Arry to come back to Westeros with me after the weekend is over and I wanted to make sure it was okay with you if I asked.”

Missandei smiles at him warmly, “Arry is a grown woman, Gendry. Yes, it would suck to lose her here, but I want her to be happy, wherever that may be.”

Grey looks at Gendry confused, “Didn’t you just meet her mate, like two nights ago?”

Gendry looks at him waiting for him to get his point across, “And?”

Grey only shakes his head and smiles, “Nothing, if that’s what you want then I say go for it, life’s too short to do anything other than what makes you happy.”

“Thanks mate.” Gendry says taking another sip of his free beer that the bar owner in front of him has no idea he’s getting.

They sit in silence as Missandei hands two beers to the new patrons sitting just to the right of them.

“You know, I have to hand it to you. I didn’t think anyone would get to that girl of mine. But then when I saw you two leave the club together the other night, I knew it was over. I’ve never seen her like this with anyone, you really mean a lot to her. I have no doubt I’ll lose her to you after the weekend is over.”

“I can’t really say I’m sorry about that.” Gendry says smiling brightly.

“You shouldn’t be. I can find another bartender, but Arry can’t find another you. Go and be happy. She deserves it more than anything. But maybe wait until the weekend is over before you ask, if something happens and it doesn’t work out, it might save the both of you a little heartbreak. If you’re still together on Monday morning, then by all means, whisk her away.” She says laughing.

Gendry ponders her reasoning a moment before agreeing to her plan. She’s right, anything could happen so it might be best to wait.

Arry returns from the kitchen then and they don’t bring up what he wants to ask her again.

She walks up to see that they have all stopped talking at the sight of her presence, “You were just talking about me weren’t you.”

Gendry pleads with Missandei silently to not tell her what they were just talking about although it’s unnecessary as Missandei wouldn’t do that anyways, “I was just trying to get your boy here to tell me what the bloody hell happened to my kitchen, but he won’t budge.”

Arry smiles thinking about her offer of free beer, “It’s for the best.”

As other new eager patrons start to fill in the small bar, Arry and Missandei find themselves busy pouring drinks and cashing out bar tabs left and right.

Grey nudges Gendry, “Come on, let’s catch up.”

They find an empty couch just left of the bar, with a perfect view of the ladies behind it.

Gendry sits down beside his friend and takes a long swig of his beer as he watches Arry and Missandei laugh with the two girls at the bar.

“Are you going to tell her about what it is you really do for a living; you know after you ask her to leave the island with you?”

Gendry freezes momentarily not sure how to respond, “I guess I’ll have too; I don’t want to start something new with her back home based on a lie you know. I’m sure she’ll be pissed but I hope she’ll eventually understand why I had to hide the truth from her in the first place.”

“If she cares for you the way I think she does, then it’ll all work out how it’s meant to. Don’t over stress it mate.”

Gendry keeps his eyes fixed on Arry, “Thanks.”

He breaks his eyes away from her to find his friend watching Missandei behind the bar, “You’re not leaving this island anytime soon, are you?”

Grey laughs, keeping his eyes on the woman he loves, “Absolutely not.”

He looks at Gendry next to him, “You and Arry will come back and visit right?”

“Of course, we will. May not be for awhile, but we’ll be back eventually I’m sure.”

He looks back at the bar to find Arry hastily pouring drinks for the group of men that just came into the bar. They are definitely not from around here from the looks of it, most likely only here for the music festival, and the way one of them is looking at Arry makes his blood boil instantly.

He says something to her but Arry brushes it off easily, clearly not wanting to urge him to keep whatever angle he has up with.

He tries to grab her hand as she sets his beer down in front of him. His friends are too busy talking amongst themselves to see the scene unfold in front of them. He’s flirting aimlessly at Arry from his seat in front of her, trying to get a rise out of her to no avail.

Arry retracts her hand back quickly, rolling her eyes at him in the process.

Gendry stands up then and makes his way over to sit next to the bloke bothering Arry.

She gives him a smile before setting a fresh cold beer down in front of him, eyes telling him to behave himself.

“Come on, sweetheart. If you won’t go out with me, then just tell me your name then ‘eh?”

She continues to ignore him as Gendry tries to keep his temper under control beside the man. He takes another sip of his beer, fists aching to break the man’s nose much like Arry did at the club the first night they met. He smiles at the memory of her defending herself and he has no doubt she could do the same thing in the current situation. But something in him has changed, he has the overwhelming feeling to protect her and the insane jealously he’s feeling is making everything else irrelevant right now.

And with that, he knows as he sits here fighting the urge to kill this man for even looking at her that he has no doubt fallen hard for the grey eyed girl standing in front of him.

They can’t take their eyes off each other and Gendry feels the man next to him stiffen at that realization.

“Oh, so you’re the reason she’s not giving me a second glance.”

Gendry smirks and turns to face the man beside him as Arry watches on with wide fearful eyes.

“Maybe she just doesn’t go for arrogant twats like yourself.”

Arry grabs Gendry’s hand that is clenched in a tight fist on the bar, “Gendry, don’t.”

The man stands up then, towering over Gendry who is still sitting in his bar stool.

“Maybe she’s just a little stuck up twat hers...” He doesn’t get the chance to finish that thought as Gendry lands his fist square in the man’s face, hard, knocking him out cold as he falls to the ground with a loud thump.

Missandei stands next to Arry and looks at his friends now looking at Gendry with the same wide and fearful eyes, “Get him out of here, and don’t come back.”

The now unconscious man’s friends pick him up off the floor and drag him out the door.

Gendry sits back down with a smile that doesn’t quiet reach his eyes and clearly without humor, but with a satisfied feeling, nonetheless.

“Fucking prick.” He says out loud to himself while taking another drink.

Arry looks at him with raised eyebrows and a smile before her face turns back into a neutral expression laced with a smirk.

“That was _fucking hot_.”

Gendry laughs then glad she’s impressed, “He deserved it, I’d rather have it come from me than risk any of these other blokes getting turned on at the sight of you punching him out.”

She laughs and his heart beats erratically, “So you liked me breaking that fuckers nose the other night then?”

“Fuck yeah, I wanted to take you right then and there.” He says with a wink.

She laughs out loud and he senses a few curious eyes on them lingering from the incident a few moments ago.

_____________________

The next few hours fly by quickly and uneventful, something that Arry is thankful for.

The crowd in the bar dies down exponentially as Arry tells Missandei she is going on her break. She drags Gendry into the kitchen by his left hand as his right hand has already bruised and swelled to an abnormally large size. She motions for him to sit at the small table beside the pantry as she grabs a frozen compress from the freezer and then lays in on his injured hand gently.

She pulls up her chair to sit in front of him, her right leg wedged in between his as she holds the compress to his hand and leans in to rest her forehead against his.

He exhales heavily, forehead still pressed to hers, “You’ll be the death of me one day I swear.”

Arry smiles under his touch, “How are you even real?”

She feels like her heart is about to jump out of her chest as he leans in to connect his lips with hers.

She’s never been this happy with anyone before and the thought of ever losing him kills her. She knows deep inside how hard she has fallen for the blue-eyed man sitting in front of her and she wonders how she’ll ever be able to let him go. All she wants to do is run away with him, away from faceless men and death and everything else her cruel world has to offer.

She wants out of her real life; out of the life she has with the faceless men. And she swears to the old gods and the new that there’s a good chance she’ll never go back to them after this weekend is over with.

Arry gives him one last sweet kiss before standing up and pulling him with her, “Keep that on, the swelling needs to go down.”

She drags him back out to the bar which is now almost empty during the late hour.

Missandei looks away from Grey sitting at the bar to where Arry and Gendry just emerged from the kitchen, “Get out of here you two, you’ve had a rough night Gendry. I can close up and I’ll make this one here help me if need be.”

Arry grabs Gendry’s hand leading him to the door while mouthing a ‘thank you’ to her boss.

They step outside and breathe in the cool Saturday night air deeply, and Arry feels freer than she has in years.

“Follow me,” she tells him as she leads the way down the street. They stop about a half mile down at a brightly lit tattoo parlor.

“What are we doing?” Gendry asks her amused.

“I want a tattoo, stupid.” She replies rolling her eyes like it should be so obvious he didn’t have to ask.

They walk in and go up to the front counter where a pretty blonde covered head to toe in tattoos sits, “What can I do for you?”

Arry smiles at her, “I want a tattoo. A butterfly to be exact, the color of his eyes.”

She points to Gendry’s eyes as the girls leans in to get a closer look.

Gendry stiffens slightly, “Sky blue it is then. Come with me.”

Arry drags Gendry behind her as they follow tattoo girl to a back room and then she lays down on the black chair in the middle of the room.

“I’ll be right back.” The blonde says politely.

Gendry turns to Arry in his small chair next to her, “Why the butterfly?”

Arry smiles shyly, “Because, it’s the Gods’ proof that we can have a second life. A new beginning.” Which is something she desperately hopes she can have very soon.

Gendry smiles as he kisses her hand he is holding in his own.

It doesn’t take very long for Arry to get her blue butterfly tattoo on the side of her rib cage and the pain is basically nonexistent. She’s been through far worse than that and she hopes that kind of pain is only in her past and not in her future.

Gendry Waters has changed her life in ways he’ll never know and for once in her nineteen years on this Earth, she has hope for where her future is going to take her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapters will continue the flashbacks before going back to present day.


	9. And In The Dark She's Taking Shots At My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His heart aches at every touch and kiss and it’s like she’s piercing right through his very soul. There’s a change coming, he can sense it but whether it’s good or bad, well that’s up to the Gods to decide for them both.
> 
> Prince of Nothing Charming by Tyler Hilton  
> (Also the song I got my namesake from ♥)

Five Years Ago- Naath- Sunday

_It’s dark, too dark, and her chest is pounding so heavily it feels like a ton of bricks is inching down further and further into her body ready to crush her at any given moment. She runs blindly trying to get anywhere away from where she is, the fear of death and darkness looming at every turn. She turns quickly down a dark alley only lit by dim streetlights as she feels a presence just behind her getting closer and closer._

_She turns abruptly ready to defend herself if she has too. She comes face to face with the stranger she’s been running from for miles as he gives her a knowing smirk where he stands._

_“You don’t recognize me, do you?”_

_She’s never seen this man before so of course she has no fucking idea who he is, “No. What do you want with me?”_

_The man smiles darkly at her as she stares back into his lifeless eyes. Lifeless blue eyes that look so familiar. She watches as the man puts his hand on his neck and pulls the skin upward revealing a different face underneath._

_She catches the wall beside her, heading spinning and threatening to lose consciousness, “Gendry.” She whispers._

_“We can be together now. You can be yourself with me, isn’t that what you want?”_

_Blue eyes pierce into grey as she lets her salty tears fall freely, “No, not like this! I_ never _wanted you to become a monster like me.”_

_He reaches out a hand to her with a sweet smile on his face, but before Arya can grab it, he fades away slowly, leaving her alone with the words ‘why Arry’ falling from his lips._

_“No!” She screams as she throws her entire body into the thin air, he just disappeared from…_

“Gendry!” She screams again, fighting to find him in the dark. Her body thrashes in white bed sheets as she wakes up suddenly, sweat dripping down from her forehead to her neck and then down to her bare breasts.

She reaches her arm over to the other side of the bed but finds it empty and cold. On Gendry’s pillow lays a single hotel stationary sheet of paper with scratchy handwriting:

_Down at the gym. Second floor. -G_

She sighs and relaxes back down into her pillow. _It was just a dream_ , she tells herself calmly, _it doesn’t mean anything_. She runs a hand over her face _, of course it means something stupid. It means that the life you want with the man you love will never happen because of who you are._

She shakes away the nightmare and sits back up in bed to make sure the bandage is still covering her new tattoo from the night before.

Arry decides that going back to sleep now after her awful dream is pointless so she gets out of bed in search of her bag of clothes she thankfully remembered to bring over from the loft last night when they left the tattoo parlor.

She quickly changes into a pair of black spank shorts and a long-sleeved grey shirt before throwing her hair back into a tall ponytail on the top of her head. She opts to throw on a black pair of ankle socks and go without shoes since she doesn’t have her gym shoes with her at the moment and she moves easier without shoes on anyway.

She makes her way out of the hotel room, slipping into the hall with ease and silence. Her skills as a faceless man can be quite useful in certain situations as to stealth and invisibility. Around Gendry, she needs neither and it brings her comfort to know she can be more of herself around him and even her new best friend Missandei, than anyone else in her life. She may only be Aryiana Rivers to him, but Arya Stark will always be who she really is and the girl that fell in love with a blue-eyed boy named Gendry Waters.

She finds herself walking along the second floor slowly, seeing everything it has to offer for the first time. She sees the sign hanging from the ceiling that reads ‘Gym’ across it and knows that half of the floor is dedicated to that purpose only. It’s the room that’s unlabeled before that, that catches her eye more than anything. She looks in the large window and sees mats covering the floor and men and women alike sparring with each other throughout the huge room.

Sparring is one of Arya’s favorite activities, so she hopes she gets the chance to do a little bit of that today. She smiles at the thought as she continues to make her way down the hall finally coming face to face with the door and windows of the gym her blue-eyed boy is currently in.

She steps in quietly, not wanting to disturb any of the occupants including Gendry. She stands by the door with her hands folded behind her back and watches as he lifts the weights effortlessly, benching at least twice her own weight.

He’s wearing a black tank top and black basketball shorts, sweat glistening every inch of exposed skin and she feels the heat rise in her belly at the sight of him. She continues to watch, entranced by the way he breathes in and out, face scrunching up in pure concentration. Her eyebrow twitches, involuntary raising at way he moves, she’s impressed and completely turned-on at him working out in front of her.

The gym isn’t too busy, only about a half dozen other guests apart from herself and the object of her now full on arousal.

He sets the weights back down as he picks up his water bottle, taking a large drink before his eyes meet hers from across the room.

He smiles brightly, eyes crinkling in the way she loves so much, obviously happy to see her.

She closes the distance between them as she sits down on the mat he is standing on. He looks down at her grey eyes that are still a little sleepy. 

“Couldn’t sleep without me huh?”

She smiles albeit sadly up at him trying to keep her nightmare off her mind, “Something like that.”

Her eyes trail his biceps, veins bulging at the intense workout, as she bites her bottom lip.

He laughs as he lays face down on the mat beside where she is sitting, ready to begin a set of pushups and she stands up then to give him more room while keeping her eyes on his sweaty hot body.

“You know you standing here eye-fucking me is a little distracting.” He says after about five reps.

She smiles, mood brightening immensely, “Well we wouldn’t want that now, would we?” She says as she steps over beside him on the floor and sits down on him directly in the middle of his back and crosses her legs in place, forcing his entire body to fall flat on the floor.

He laughs under her, body shaking, “What in the sevens hells are you doing woman?”

She shrugs her shoulders even though he can’t see it, “You can’t see me anymore, therefore I am no longer a distraction.”

Arry feels him groan underneath her, not from annoyance, but more from a deep level of adoration.

He groans again before pouring all his strength into his arms to force him to lift himself and Arry up off the floor.

Once he gains his balance with Arry on his back, he begins a long set of push-ups with ease, causing Arry to bounce with laughter both at the movements and his unshakable need to show her what he’s capable of. He glides up and down effortlessly, with Arry still crossed legged on his back as she feels the heat radiate off his body like a fire she needs to quench.

He’s still falling up and down graciously, as Arry carefully bends her head down to whisper in his ear, “If you keep this up, I’m going to have to _fuck_ you straight into this floor right here and now.”

As the words fall out of her mouth, his body trembles underneath her before his strength gives out and he lands on his stomach with a loud thump.

Still on his back, she peeks over to see his eyes shut tight and feels his breathing become erratic. She shakes with uncontrollable fits of laughter, finding it hysterical that she knocked him off his game so easily.

She stops laughing long enough to regain her composure, “Oh come on, I was just teasing! Let’s keep going. I was having fun.” She bounces like a child trying to get their way for emphasis.

She whines and looks down to see his eyes are still closed, “Nope, not happening, I can’t think about anything else except for you fucking me into this floor. I just need a minute.”

She rolls her body off him, still laughing as she sits down on the bench his water bottle is on.

Still flat on the floor, he rolls his head over to stare at her where she sits. Sweat is rolling down his forehead and his red cheeks, making a little wet spot on the mat under his face.

“You’re maddening.” He says from the floor as she only winks in response.

She throws the towel that’s on the bench at him as he finally finds his composure, sitting up and wiping the sweat from his face and neck.

He throws the towel down on the floor beside him as he rests his arms on his knees and gives her a wide and bright smile.

Arry stands up then grabbing his hands for him to follow.

“Get your shit and follow me.”

He grabs the towel and his water bottle, “Yes, m’lady.”

She drags him out of the gym and back down the hall to the other room on the adjacent side.

As they walk in Gendry stops just inside the door as Arry walks over to the counter to grab two pairs of boxing gloves. Luckily there is only a handful of other people occupying the room, so they’ll have no trouble finding enough space for their sparring match.

She throws the larger pair at Gendry as he stares back at her in utter bewilderment.

“Are you going to punch me without those on or what?” She says pulling her own gloves on.

He slowly starts to put his black gloves on as he continues to stare at the grey-eyed girl in front of him, “I don’t want to hit you at all. Where did you learn how to fight anyway?”

She keeps her cool trying to look as nonchalant as possible, “It’s just a little sparring match, don’t think you’re actually going to hurt me. And we grew up as _orphans_ , don’t tell me you didn’t learn how to fight and defend yourself at a young age.”

 _Yes, good cover_ , Arry thinks to herself as she stretches her arms and legs. 

Gendry only nods in agreement with a smile as he does a little of his own stretching, working out the kinks in his back from his Arry push-up session.

She hits her gloves together and jumps a few times in place, teasing him with her eyes, “Come on Waters, show me what you got.”

He walks in a small circle surrounding her, “I don’t think you can handle it.”

Arry narrows her eyes, “We’ll see about that.”

She steps forward quickly, swinging her left arm back to collide with his face but he dodges it easily as she knew he would. She’s small and that move was predictable on her part. As he maneuvers his head back to avoid her left hook, she dips her body down to sink her right arm into his stomach, knocking him off balance. He steps back, grabbing his stomach while laughing as she gives him a smirk in triumph.

He shakes it off quickly, “Okay, I see how it’s going to be.”

He lays into her then, not holding back any punches as they square off, each landing a hit and a kick as much as the other. Punches and kicks coming off a little harder and harder as the time goes by.

After half an hour of the friendly spar, Gendry is starting to wear thin both from the sparring and the workout he had earlier.

She can tell he’s about done, needing to find a way to end their match with her still keeping the upper hand and her small frame gives her the advantage she needs as she dodges another punch and kicks his legs out from underneath him knocking him to the ground. She’s quick to grabs his arms and pin them in place over his head while she straddles his lap.

She smirks down at him smugly before crashing her lips against his.

She pulls back reluctantly, remembering the lingering eyes about the room and not wanting to give him too much of a hard on in his thin shorts.

“That was quiet impressive Ms. Rivers.”

Before Arry has a chance to respond they hear a loud whistle come from the other side of the room where the entrance is located, both turning their heads in unison to the sound.

“Well look at what we have here.”

They recognize the man as the same one from the bar last night who was flirting with Arry, and who Gendry happened to knock unconscious with one punch. He doesn’t look happy to see them, especially in the current position they are in on the floor.

“Fancy seeing you two twats here.”

Arry rolls off Gendry and helps him get up from the floor.

Arry doesn’t let the jab affect her in the least, “Funny, I didn’t recognize you _conscious_.”

Gendry laughs beside her while giving her the same look of warning she gave him the night before.

The man laughs, mostly in disgust, “How about a little one on one? Payback’s a bitch mate.” He says while looking at Gendry.

Arry holds him back, “No, not him. _Me_.”

Gendry grabs her arm and pulls her away from the man’s small crowd, “ _Are you mad_? Arry that man is not looking for a _friendly_ sparring match. He’s pissed and looking for revenge for what I did to him.”

She keeps her cool, knowing she can take him easily, “I know that, I’ll be fine. I’ve had to fight off worse than this bloke. It’s _my_ turn to give him a taste of his own medicine.”

He gives her one last groan of disapproval before reluctantly letting her arm go.

“Are you sure about this sweetheart, that face and body of your is awfully pretty?”

He looks at her up and down with that same hunger in his eyes that Gendry saw last night, and she feels him tense exponentially beside her.

She turns to whisper to him, “Relax. He’s not leaving here unscathed.”

She winks at him as he gives her a small unsure smile in return.

They start and go about the beginning the same way that she and Gendry had moments ago, a punch and a kick here and there getting harder and more forceful each time.

She jabs him hard in his jaw as he shakes it off with a laugh, “Damn girl, starting to make ‘ol boy over there look like a _pussy_.”

That does it, she’s _pissed_ and out for blood. With one swift punch to the gut, he doubles over in pain as she jumps on his back wrapping her thighs around his neck hitting him in each side of his face with both hands.

She’s screaming now with each punch and an emphasis on her words. “ _I’m. The. Only. One. That. Gets. To. Insult. Him. You. Dumb. Fuck._ ” She fast and quick and after a few more hits she has him on the ground, as she wraps her arm around his neck to choke him out.

Panting and face turning purple she feels him tap out under her as she releases her grip and she’s back on her feet in a second.

The man stumbles over to his friends muttering incoherent insults into thin air. She’s sure he won’t be bothering either of them anymore.

She walks over to where Gendry is standing, eyes wide in absolute amazement with the biggest shit eating grin splattered across his face.

He pulls her flush against his body, kissing her feverishly. He pulls back and looks deep into her eyes, “That was fucking _hot_. I’ve never had a beautiful woman defend my honor before.”

She gives him a playful smack on his chest, still wrapped in his arms, as she looks around to see the stares from the watching eyes on the two of them.

She brings his face down to her level to whisper in his ear after giving it a playful bite with her teeth as she feels him shiver at her touch, “Want to get out of here?”

She pulls her mouth back from his ear and he groans in agreement saying nothing, only grabbing her hand and practically dragging her out of the room and back down the hall to the waiting lift.

Once they get on the empty lift and the doors close, they waste no time in crashing their lips together, bodies tangled in a mess of limbs as Gendry grabs Arry’s right thigh up to wrap around his hip, gripping it so tight he sure to leave bruises in the shape of his fingertips. She tangles her hands in his hair as their tongues fight for dominance, neither one wanting to relinquish full control.

Gendry sets her leg back down once the doors open back up and then without hesitation, he grabs her by the ass and throws her over his shoulder, exactly like he did leaving the nightclub the other day, except this time Arry is not fighting him, only laughing at his silliness as smacks her on the ass while walking down the hall to his hotel room before slamming the door shut behind him.

He makes his way over to the bed and throws Arry down softly as she giggles with pure joy.

He takes his shirt off revealing his toned abs and she bites her lips in anticipation of what’s to come.

As she reaches to pull her own shirt off, her phone buzzes loudly, eliciting a frustrated moan from Gendry.

He bends down to help her with her shirt as she swats his hand away, “Patience.”

He drops his head in defeat, hands leaning on the bed on either side of her legs as she grabs her phone to answer it.

“It’s Missandei.” She hits answer on the home screen, “Hello?”

“ _Hey love, sorry to bother you but I have a pair of extra tickets to the charity gala tonight, you interested_?”

She pauses before answering, mind drifting to how good Gendry would look in a suit, “Umm, yeah sure, I think we can make it.”

Of course, they can because the only plan she had was to spend the rest of the day naked in Gendry’s bed anyway.

She stares at Gendry’s confused expression and ends the call so she can further explain herself.

“Missandei has two extra tickets for a charity event tonight and asked if we wanted them. Black tie only.”

Gendry smiles, “I don’t get a say in the matter?”

Arry gives him a smug smirk, “Nope. I want to see you in a tux, and you’ll get to rip my dress off me later so that’s what’s in it for you.”

She watches as his eyes turn a darker shade of blue, lust filling to the brim as he takes her body flush against his once more.

They pull away from each other long enough to discard their remaining clothes, “Missandei wants me to go shopping with her later and get ready with her at the loft, so you and Grey are on your own.”

He only nods in agreement as he pushes his now naked body against hers, pushing them back further onto the bed.

Arry, now completely naked herself, flips him over to give her the advantage of pressing herself on top of him.

With his head firmly on the pillow and eyes boring into hers, she gives him a devilishly wide smile before she crawls upward and plants her thighs on either side of his head.

She feels him laugh under her as his mouth finds her already soaking clit, thighs squeezing tighter on his face at the sensation and feeling his lips and tongue are giving her.

He holds her hips in place as she squirms with pleasure. She bends the upper half of her body back to grab his waiting cock, giving it a gentle squeeze before moving her hand up and down the long shaft.

As his mouth continues to dance, lick and suck every inch of skin at her core she can’t hold on much longer and she needs him to be insider her right now.

She moves her body off his face and positions her hips at his straining cock, tracing her entrance in an excruciating painfully pleasurable way.

She gives him an ‘are kidding me’ look for his teasing before moaning loudly as he smiles back at her while thrusting his hips upward and entering her fully. She rides him for several minutes, his head falling back against the pillow and she knows he’s just as close to coming as she is.

With one more hard thrust, she falls into the crook of his neck as they ride out their orgasm together, both breathing erratically at the sensations it brings.

After they both return from the high, she rolls of him lightly, snuggling close to his side as he wraps an arm around her waist.

He looks down at her with a shy smile, “I’ll never get used to you.”

She smiles but says nothing, only kissing his lips hungrily in a response that she hopes screams that she feels the same way. 

After a few more rounds of love making and several hours later, they get dressed and head out on Arry’s bike to meet up with Missandei and Grey at Dany’s for their respective shopping trips for the event tonight.

They pull up out front on the bar’s only closed day. Missandei being the sole owner and runner needed at least one day of the week to herself and for her employees and for that Arry was thankful. It’s the looming cloud that hangs over her shoulders now that the weekend will be slowly coming to an end and an unsurely notion of where her and Gendry stand after said weekend together is finished.

Like she has since they started whatever this is, she pushes those thoughts to the back of her mind, only wanting to concentrate on the here and now.

They walk in to find Missandei and Grey talking quietly at the bar, stools, bodies and faces only inches apart.

Gendry claps Grey on the back, “Hey mate, how’s it going?”

Grey smiles back at him warmly, “We were just talking about the gala tonight, glad you two are coming along.”

Missandei jumps off the bar stool then and grabs Arry by the arm, “Let’s go, love. These two won’t take long to get their suites and then they’ll just goof off the rest of the day before meeting us back here this evening.” She rolls her eyes playfully at the boys as they feign offense.

Arry laughs letting Missandei lead her out the door as she gives Gendry a quick wave goodbye over her head.

Just under an hour into their frantic search for the right dresses, she receives a text from Gendry.

_Already done, can’t wait to rip that dress off you later. -G_

She laughs as Missandei steps out of her dressing room in the small boutique wearing a floor length black laced dress that looks stunning on her.

“What do you think?”

Arry looks up from her phone and smiles mischievously, “I think Grey is going to lose his _fucking_ mind. You have to get that dress, you look amazing.”

Missandei smiles back at her, “Alright then, what were you thinking?”

Arry looks around for a moment, “I’m not sure, nothing here is catching my eye. Mind if we shop around a little bit more?”

Missandei walks back behind the curtain to change out of the dress she is about to buy, “No problem. Let me just get this thing off.”

After a couple of more stores, they’re know crunching for time as Arry scans the selection of dresses at a small shop called, ‘Lulu’s.’

She eyes a bright yellow floor length gown and takes it off the rack to examine it further.

Missandei stands beside her giving a nod and a smile of approval as Arry tries on, and then successfully purchases the yellow beauty.

A little while later they are in the living room of their loft as Missandei does her hair. She pulls it back into a top bun on her head with little dangling curls fall from each side. With the right amount of smoky eye shadow, she’s ready to put on her dress.

Missandei finished her own primping before Arry with her hair and makeup complete and black dress hugging all her curves.

Arry fidgets with her hands nervously as Missandei ties the thin strings on her backless dress.

“What are you nervous for, love? Gendry is going to love you in this, that boy is quiet smitten I must say.” She can hear the smile in her best friend’s words.

“That’s what I’m afraid of, his time here is almost up, what if it doesn’t work out?”

Missandei finishes her tying as she steps around to face Arry directly, “Do you care for him?”

She nods.

“Then just follow your heart, everything will work out the way it’s meant to.”

They walk over to the tall mirror hanging on the wall and with one last hair and face check, they decide they are as good as ready and head downstairs to meet the boys out front.

Arry is the first to step outside and her mouth drops in amazement at the sight before her.

Gendry and Grey are clad in black tuxes standing in front of a black limousine with a single red rose in each hand.

Missandei walks up to Grey as Arry does the same with Gendry, taking the rose from his hand.

“You look _incredible_ ,” he says as his eyes trail from her feet all the way back up to her face.

“My boy here thought of the ride and the roses, didn’t know he was such a romantic.” Grey elbows him playfully.

Gendry keeps his eyes locked on Arry, “Only for this one.”

She feels the blush spread through her entire body as he holds out his arm for her to take, “Shall we, m’lady?”

She ignores the jab at the nickname she hates and takes his arm eagerly as Grey and Missandei follow in line behind them.

***

The first few hours of the gala fly by quickly, Arry and Gendry stay lost in each other’s eyes as they drink and dance the night away.

Arry, still in Gendry’s arms as they sway to the music, makes her way over to where her friends are dancing just as closely, “Mind if we switch partners for a minute or two?”

She asks holding out her hand for Grey to take.

Missandei and Gendry sway effortlessly as she watches her best friend laugh at something he said.

She then realizes she needs to focus on her dancing partner and what it is she would like to say to him, “So I know you and Missandei have history, and that you’ve recently reconnected and gotten very close.”

Grey grins and gives her a look much like Gendry gave him to get to the point of the topic of conversation, “Yes?”

Arry gives him a threatening smile, “Just don’t hurt her okay, because then I’ll have to break something on your body and trust me, you don’t want that.”

Grey takes her threat seriously by the way his face goes white. He manages a small nod and then visibly relaxes when he sees Arry smile sweetly.

“Damn, you’re scary sometimes.”

Arry laughs at the compliment, “Thanks.”

She kisses him on the cheek softly before going to find where her blue-eyed boy and best friend ran off to.

She finds them chatting over by the open bar, “There you are, I was starting think you two ran off together.”

He pulls her to his side, “Not a chance.”

He takes another sip of the liquid in his glass, “You know for a fancy gathering such as this, you think they could afford something better than cheap champagne.”

Arry laughs at him as she takes his drink away from him and downs the rest of it in one large gulp.

The rest of the evening flies by just as quickly as they drink and dance and laugh and enjoy each other’s presence, she never wants this night or this feeling of happiness to end.

About half an hour till midnight, she and Gendry decide to head back to his hotel room while the other two stay and enjoy the rest of the party.

As they stay in each other’s arms throughout the limo ride and the walk to his floor, the threat of not knowing if she’ll ever be able to touch him again comes back to the forefront of her mind like a hurricane and her need to touch him becomes more frantic and impatient by the second.

***

As they enter the hotel room, Gendry senses a slight change in behavior in Arry. She’s touching him faster and with more and more feeling as she tries desperately to rid him of his bow tie and white button up.

Not that he is complaining exactly, it’s ten minutes until the clock strikes midnight on the day he’ll have to leave this island behind and the cheap champagne they had at the gala is starting to wear off, sobering them quicker than he’d like it to. Gendry knows that come morning he will be asking Arry to catch a flight with him back to the mainland to see where their future together will take them, and the thought of her answer forms a lump in his throat.

He ignores that feeling as he watches Arry tear off the yellow dress she’s wearing, and he feels like an utter mess at the sight of her looking so beautiful in the darken room. She lets it drop to her feet, the only material covering her body are the pair of sheer white lace panties and her black high heels.

She helps him remove the rest of his clothes, slower this time, each of them wanting to savor the moment and commit it to memory.

He feels her tremble underneath his touch as he lays her naked body down on the bed and enters her slowly.

His heart aches at every touch and kiss and it’s like she’s piercing right through his very soul. There’s a change coming, he can sense it but whether it’s good or bad, well that’s up to the Gods to decide for them both.

***

They drift off to a peaceful sleep soon after they make love, Arry wrapped tightly in his arms. She feels him stir slightly in his sleep as her phone alerts her to a new text message. She reads the time stamp on her phone set at 1:45am before opening the message from Missandei.

_Hey love, so sorry to wake you, but Grey and I are stuck in traffic coming back from the gala and I got an alert from the security system at the bar. Can you please stop by and make sure the place is still locked up good and tight? I’d owe you big time. -M_

She removes herself gently from Gendry’s embrace as she stands up and types out a quick reply.

_Sure, no problem, on my way there now. -A_

She throws on her shorts and a tank top, with Gendry’s black hoodie thrown over for good measure as the temperature has surely dropped during the late hour.

She kisses Gendry on the cheek, careful not to wake him. She won’t be gone long hopefully, and she already misses his warm body pressed against her own.

She walks out into the cool midnight air and hails a waiting cab.

The cab driver drops her off behind the bar and she quickly makes her way up the stairs in the back to the waiting security system on the wall outside their door.

 _No alerts and still secure, that’s weird,_ she thinks to herself as she punches in the code to unlock the door before her.

She steps in and secures the alarm quickly before it has a chance to alert the authorities to a potential intruder.

There’s a chill in the air and it makes Arry shiver to her core. Something isn’t right here.

With the lights still off, she makes her way through the loft quietly, senses on high alert to any possible threat.

Her heart sinks into her stomach at the sight of Missandei laying on the couch, almost lifeless.

She stays quiet and makes her way over to the couch, bending down to check her pulse and sighs at the beating thump of a steady rhythm. She reaches under the couch cushion then searching for _Needle_ , the only weapon she brought with her to the small island for protection. 

She holds it steady in her hand as she makes her way through the rest of the loft, stopping just at the entrance to her open bedroom. There is someone in there waiting for her, she can hear their calm breathing.

With needle ready to strike she remains as calm as she can while the stranger turns on the bedside lamp next to the chair, they are sitting in.

Her breath catches in her throat as she comes face to face with the person in her home, Melisandre.

The red-haired woman keeps her eyes fixed on Arry, “Hello Agent Stark. We need to talk about Gendry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to anyone who knows which TV show that ending scene is mirrored from.


	10. I Let You In, You Left Me Out. You Left Me On My Own, You Left Me All Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walking slowly to the door, she turns back to give him a last look, tears flowing rapidly down her red swollen cheeks.  
> “Please forgive me.” 
> 
> Alone By I Prevail OR Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi  
> They both fit so well that I couldn't choose between the two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the last piece of the Naath puzzle. I might do some more flashbacks if the story line allows it. 
> 
> Shorter chapter, but I wanted to get this out so I could continue present day which I am very excited for.

Five Years Ago- Naath- Monday

Arya keeps her gaze on the older red-haired woman sitting in front of her in her own bedroom, clearly having broken in, her knuckles turning white at the point of numbing on her grip on her sword, needle, pointed directly at said woman. She realizes that she was step up to come here on her own merit and undoubtedly alone. Missandei never texted her about checking the security system. Melisandre did, from her best friend’s phone after she did something to her which sends a shiver down her spine.

Her voice falters and cracks as she tries to maintain some sort of stance, not wanting the woman in front of her to see her in the slightest vulnerable way, “What did you do to her?” She uses her free hand to point back out to the living room where her best friend is passed out on the couch.

Melisandre holds her hand up reassuringly, much to Arya’s disdain, “Relax child. She is perfectly fine, it’s only a little sedative to help her sleep, she’ll never know I was here this evening. Neither will the boy.”

Arya’s faces twists in confusion before realization hits her, “Grey. They were together tonight at the gala.”

Mel shakes her head, “Yes, he is asleep as well, just in the next bedroom down the hall.”

Arya takes a hesitant step back, “What are you doing here? _No one_ knows I’m here. I took precautions and made sure of that.”

Melisandre gives her a big smile, a dark twisted look on her pale features, “Oh my sweet child. It is my job to know where all my agents are. You didn’t think you could spend all this time here without me or Director Baratheon knowing about it, did you?”

Arya says nothing, continuing to hold her gaze as she takes a deep breath waiting to see what the woman is going to do about her time spent here in her little piece of temporary paradise. Something she was itching to make permanent just a few short hours ago. Her boss doesn’t need to know that, but she suspects that she already does. There’s almost nothing that gets past Melisandre and Arya almost believed once that she had magical powers or something.

Melisandre folds her hands together and rests them on her crossed knees, nodding her head in Arya’s direction where she is keeping a strong grip on the weapon in her hand, “Now girl, you won’t be needing that. Put needle away and let’s chat.”

Arya keeps her defiant stance, not moving a muscle to give the woman in front of her the satisfaction of complying.

She gives her a small smile, “Alright then, have it your way. You always were a stubborn little she-wolf weren’t you, child?”

Melisandre cocks her head to the side, as Arya keeps her footing strong and head held high, while also trying to listen for any movement behind her.

Mel keeps her dark stare on Arya in the doorway, “I would like to know about this _Gendry_ of yours and what exactly it is you think you are doing here with him? It has come to my attention recently that you have taken some…” she pauses temporarily trying to find the appropriate words, “ _time off_ from your undercover work for us with Jaqen H’Ghar and The Faceless Men.”

Arya stays quiet, knowing her little stunt is going to have repercussions with her position within the agency. All she wanted was a break from her duties and obligations, she just wanted to have some time to be free and to be herself for once in a very long time. It wasn’t her intention to mislead anyone into thinking she went rouge, especially not her boss, the director of MI6.

“I don’t need to explain to you why things like this…” she trails off and gestures to their surroundings, “can’t happen until your work is done. And it is _never_ done, my dear. You have come too far to give up now, years of intel and leads would be wasted, and lives would be lost. Is that what you want?”

Arya says nothing so she continues, “What we do is secret, a secret that must be kept at all costs. You already know this, or have you forgotten in the three months you’ve been playing house with your new friends?”

Arya continues to glare, daggers shooting out of her eyes at the fiery red head in the room.

“You have a duty to your country and your people, now is not the time for meaningless relationships and distractions, Agent Stark. If _Gendry...”_

She hates the way she says his name and winces subtly at the action.

“…becomes a _liability_ to your missions either with MI6 or The Faceless Men, the consequences would be irrevocable. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to him, now would you? I can see you care for him deeply, which is why you need to leave this place and continue the work you are doing in Braavos at once.”

Arya feels the sting of tears threatening to fall from her heavy eyes, but she won’t give her the pleasure of seeing how her words are affecting her so.

Melisandre stands up then and saunters toward Arya, “I see a light in you child. You will do great things in this lifetime and in the next and it is my job and duty to make sure that happens.”

She holds her gaze firmly, just meres inches from her face, “Leave this island immediately, I’m not _asking_. If you choose not to, I will have no choice but to bring an end to your distraction and _reasons_ for staying here. I have faith that you will do the right thing.”

She holds her breathe at her darkened tone and at the plural form she used of the word reasons, thinking back to Gendry, Grey, and Missandei whom she cares for immensely.

As Melisandre steps behind Arya, she closes her eyes as the hot tears now fall freely and let’s go of her strong grip on needle, letting it fall to the floor with a quiet thump and vibration. She doesn’t move, she can’t. She’s numb at what she must do now and it’s breaking her. She hears the faint sound of a door close and knows that Melisandre is gone.

She hates this and her. But she knew this day was inevitable. Of course, her time here couldn’t last forever, she had come to terms with that before she even landed here. It wasn’t until she met Gendry Waters just four days ago that she thought, no she _hoped_ that she could have a life outside of being _Special Agent Arya Stark_ and _No One_. She had that here with Gendry and her friends, it’s the happiest she’s been since before the accident that killed her parents and brothers.

She can’t stay, she knows this. Not after Melisandre just threatened to end Gendry’s life if she didn’t comply to her demand to leave immediately. Arya has never been particularly scared of anyone in her life, Melisandre is the only one that comes close to her fearing, but it’s not fear per se. It’s the undeniable notion of what she knows the woman is capable of and what she will do to get what she wants. She’s seen it first-hand over the years. First with her training and then having no choice but to assume an unknown identity with the mercenary group she’s come to know so well over the past few years of her life. She can’t deny that she’s done good work, both for MI6 and TFM. She’s assumed different identities using her faceless skills to take down numerous terrorist groups throughout the world for Mel and Stannis at MI6 and she can’t argue that the targets she’s asked to eliminate from Jaqen himself has helped her sleep better at night knowing they no longer breathe the same air.

But Gendry is innocent in all of this; he didn’t choose to live a life of secrecy and violence like Arya has. She must leave him for his own good, as much as that breaks her heart into a tiny million pieces. If he knows what she’s about to do, she has no doubt he’ll try to stop her and convince her otherwise. This is something she must do quietly, alone, and right now while everyone is still sleeping peacefully.

With the thought of protecting Gendry and her friends’ lives at all costs, she makes her way through her small and now chillingly cold bedroom, grabbing all her belongings and throwing them into the only duffel bag she had with her when she came here almost three months ago. She leaves no trace of Aryiana Rivers behind when she leaves the tiny loft apartment for the last time that night.

With one last sweep to make sure she got everything and a final check on Missandei and Grey, who seem to be in good help, she exits quietly and makes her way back to Gendry’s hotel room.

She walks swiftly and as quiet as a deer, leaving her duffel in the alley behind the hotel by the dumpster. She’ll be back for it in less than five minutes time.

While walking through the entrance and to the lift, the only person she comes across is the night clerk enthralled with his cell phone, paying her no attention whatsoever.

She makes her way down the hall with a heavy heart as this is definitely not how she thought this weekend would end.

It’s dark when she enters, and she can hear his heavy breathing from across the room and sighs knowing he is still sound asleep. 

She gathers her clothes and shoes that are scattered across the floor, making sure everything she owns is gone from existence in that very room. She makes her way over to the side bed table where Gendry’s phone is plugged up on the charger. She scrolls through and deletes her phone number and any messages they shared during their short time together. She deletes the few pictures he took of her and forces herself to also delete them from the ‘recently deleted’ folder as well. She knows it’s probably unnecessary, since she’ll destroy the phone she’s had here anyway, but at least this way, she’s making it a little easier for him to end up hating her which in turn will make it easier for him to let her go.

She sets his phone back down with ease and gives one last long look to the beautiful man sleeping in the bed that she knows she’s going to miss dearly.

Bag in hand, she tip-toes towards the bathroom and turns on the light. She leaves the door cracked about halfway from closing that way if he happens to wake up sometime before the sun, he’ll simply think she was in there and won’t be too concerned and come looking for her. She doesn’t need long to escape, but that’s sure to buy her enough time should she need it.

Walking slowly to the door, she turns back to give him a last look, tears flowing rapidly down her red swollen cheeks.

“ _Please forgive me.”_ She whispers before opening the door and leaving the only man she has ever loved for good.

Arya makes her way to the dumpster where she left her first bag and picks it up quickly, walking toward the docks that’s just around the corner from the hotel.

With a heavy sigh, she adds a few large rocks to each bag and then tosses them in the water, watching as they sink to the bottom, removing any trace of Ariyana Rivers on the island of Naath.

A loud sob escapes her from deep within as she makes her way to the shipping yard, reluctantly eager to find a boat that’s ready to get her away from this place and back to her real life.

***

Stirring awake to the bright Monday morning sunlight streaming through the open curtains on the balcony door, Gendry rolls over wanting to have Arry wrapped in his arms once more before they have to get up and he asks her to come back to the mainland with him.

He rolls over to find her side of his hotel bed empty and strangely cold. He starts to panic a little at the feel of the cold sheets next to him as he gets up searching for her.

“Arry?” He calls out walking to the bathroom, noticing the light is on and the door is open about halfway. He relaxes slightly thinking she’s in there, but he’s surprised to find the bathroom and the rest of the suite completely empty, save for himself.

He walks over to grab his phone, confusion starting to set it on where she could have run off too so early in the morning.

Further confusion and panic sets in when he notices that her phone number and text message thread have been deleted from his phone.

“What the fuck?” He throws his phone down on the bed and hastily throws his clothes on to go and try to find her.

He searches the gym, the pool, and the garden for any sign of her, to no avail.

After lucking out at his hotel, he then hails a cab over to Dany’s thinking she just might have gone home.

He gets there quicker than he anticipated and he’s thankful for it but his hopeful demeanor drops substantially when he walks in to find only Missandei and Grey sitting at the bar and no sign of the grey-eyed woman he’s currently searching desperately for.

Grey looks at him happily, “Hey, mate. How’s it going?”

Gendry ignores his friend’s question to get straight to the point of his presence, “Is Arry here? She wasn’t in the room this morning when I woke up.”

Missandei sips her coffee before answering, “I don’t think so, love. I’ll go check for you though, hold on.”

She sets her mug down on the bar top before heading towards the back and up to the loft.

Gendry sits down solemnly beside his friend and sighs heavily, holding his head in his hands.

Grey turns to face him, “What’s going on, mate? Did something happen between the two of you? You seemed pretty happy when you left the party last night.”

Gendry rubs the back of his neck nervously, trying to figure out where things might have gone wrong between last night and this morning when he woke up alone, “Nothing. Everything seemed fine when we went to sleep last night. But then I woke up alone and Arry’s phone number was deleted out of my phone.”

Grey looks shocked, much like how Gendry is feeling right about now, “Fucking hell.”

Missandei returns to her spot behind the bar then with the saddest look on her face that tells Gendry everything he needs to know.

“She’s gone, isn’t she?”

Missandei shakes her head slowly, “I’m sorry, love. All of her stuff is gone, the only thing she left behind is this.”

She slides the set of keys to Arry’s ninja across the bar to Gendry as he picks them up and fidgets with them between his shaking fingers.

He lets out laugh, all humor and happiness gone, “How could she just leave like that?”

Missandei shakes her head, “I don’t know, but I think I know Arry well enough to say that she must have had a good reason. I don’t think she’d leave without telling me or saying goodbye if she didn’t. I have to believe that. Just like I must believe that wherever she is, she’s alright and that maybe she’ll be back one day.”

She reaches her arm across the table to hold onto his hand that’s holding the keys as she gives it a reassuring squeeze.

Grey gives him a soft pat on the back, “I’m sorry. I wish things were different.”

Gendry tightens his grip around the keys in his hand, sliding them off abruptly as he heads for the door, “I have to go, I’ll see you guys around.”

With tear filled eyes, he walks around to the back of the building where Arry parks her bike and finds it tucked away in its spot underneath the stairs leading up to the loft.

There’s one last spot he needs to check to see if she’s there before he gives up entirely on trying to track her down, he just hopes she’s still somewhere on the island.

With the thought of her grey piercing eyes and contagious smile he loves so much; he starts the bike and heads for her favorite spot in the woods.

It doesn’t take him long since he breaks what he’s sure to be most of the traffic laws in Naath trying to get to his destination as fast as he can.

He parks the bike in the same spot Arry did just days before and begins walking, his heart pounding heavily in his chest at what he hopes but knows he won’t find.

The wind blows through his short hair and the only thing he can hear is the sound of the flowing waterfall and the thumping of his pulse in his ears.

He looks around desperately wanting to catch a glimpse of her, but he’s the only one out there.

He laughs to himself at how fucked up this is. He finally found someone to love and she disappeared on him the moment she could.

Just before he turns to walk back to the bike, the one he’ll be taking with him when he leaves the island, something small and round catches his eye on a large rock near the water.

He steps closer and finds Arry’s braided bracelet lying on the rock, the same one her brother made her that she never, ever took off.

He picks it up, twirling it in his hands slowly. She came back here before she left to leave this for him. He’s the only other person apart from herself that knows this spot, so she must have left it here specifically for him to find.

He smiles sadly, letting a single tear finally fall from his eye while he puts the bracelet on his wrist as he takes one last look around and whispers to no one in particular, “ _Goodbye_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've realized while outlining future chapters that it steers away from the original 'bounty hunter' theme a bit, but I think that's alright. You'll tell me if it's not, right? Lol


	11. The Wind of Change Blows Straight, Into the Face of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “There’s a change looming over the horizon, dear child. Please be careful and remember everything you were taught. You’re going to need it.” 
> 
> Wind of Change by Scorpions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter, Happy Friday!!

Present Day- Highgarden

He’s heard gunshots before, both being fired around him and him firing at other people in the line of duty. It’s not an unfamiliar sound, one he’s grown accustomed to over the years. At this point in his life and career, it’s just another part of the job, something that’s never affected him as far as fear or any other emotion of the sort.

This time is different. This time it’s a trigger pulled by the woman he loves and it’s affecting him in ways he can’t believe something like that ever could. Not with all he’s been through. He puts his defenses down around her and he’s now been shot for it. He knows he can’t trust her, so he’s now fully aware that that’s something he can’t risk doing again. 

He grabs the wall to hold himself steady as his ears ring loudly and he feels the white-hot pain sting his left arm and watches as blood drips down to the ground at his feet. He vaguely remembers seeing Arya drop his gun before disappearing in the shadows like a thief in the night. _She’s too bloody good at that_ , he thinks to himself, holding his wounded arm.

She only grazed him, clearly knowing what she was doing and what she was aiming for and it wasn’t to cause him serious injury or death. No, this was just a means to escape and that she did.

He collects himself once the ringing in his ears subsides and stands up straight to examine his wound as he releases his now blood-stained arm from his bicep.

The blood from the graze is streaming evenly and he’ll need a least a few stitches to get it to stop and not get infected. The last thing he needs right now is a trip to the hospital or attention from the local authorities.

He’s honestly surprised that their little escapade in the alley has not caused a lot of attention, he should be thankful for that, and yet he’s not. Arya has disappeared, again, and now he’s back at square one, only this time he has a bullet wound to show for it.

He needs to track down Arya again, she shouldn’t have gotten away that far in the short amount of time since she shot him and ran, but then again, he’s learned to not underestimate her either. She’s managed to evade him twice now and once he finds her again, he’s not aiming for a third time.

He walks back down the alley where it meets the end of the train station and grabs the first trash can he sees. He opens the lid and for just once today he feels as if luck is on his side as he sees a small stack of unused and visibly clean napkins laying on top of a pile of empty food containers that he can use to wipe the blood from his arm and hands.

He wipes the blood tenderly that’s draining from his bicep down to his forearm and saves about three napkins to put pressure on the wound until he can get to a drug store to get what he needs to sew it up and find a safe and private place to do so. 

Walking through the train station holding his arm tightly, he eyes strangers staring at him left and right, but no one sticks out as an immediate threat. This is his first time in Highgarden and he’s way out of his element as far as knowing where the hell anything is in the city.

He eyes a line a taxi cabs waiting on fairs and jumps in the back seat of the closest one to him, “Nearest pharmacy, and I’ll pay you double if you get me there in half the time.”

The cabby, an older gentleman nods in agreement, “You got it.”

The cab driver does as he was requested and gets Gendry to the nearest drug store in record time.

Gendry gets out and tips the driver triple, mostly because he stained the backseat with his blood that other passengers might not take kindly too until he figures it out. He’s got bigger problems to deal with.

He makes his way through the small store and grabs everything he needs including peroxide and a sewing kit. The clerk gives him a shady look as he eyes his arm and the items sitting on the counter. Gendry in return, glares at him, daring him to keep his mouth shut and ring up his items so he can leave quickly.

Once he’s finished there, he walks across the street to a seedy motel he’s sure you pay by the hour for and is ground zero for a lot of illegal activity. But he doesn’t care about that now, he only needs a place to lay low long enough to tend to his arm and track down Arya Stark.

The irony of all of this is not lost on him either. He laughs to himself at how easy it was to fall in love with her in the first place considering now he knows they have so much in common. Except for the fact that she’s on the opposite side of the law, that he’s swore to protect. He sense they have other things in common as well, things that he can’t quite put his finger on just yet. Since the day he met her, he’s been wrapped around her finger and he supposes after all this time, nothing seems to have changed in the slightest. Except for the fact that she’s a fucking assassin and he cannot trust anything she tells him. And yet, he feels like he can. He saw a hundred different emotions cross her features before she shot at him. Hurt, betrayal, love, longing, but what he can’t figure out is which ones were for him and which ones were for someone or something different entirely.

He’s determined to find out though and figure out what the fuck is going on. If Arya was telling him the truth that his former bosses are in fact trying to kill her instead of following protocol and bringing her in for a fair trial, then everything he thought he knew about Melisandre and Stannis, MI6, and Arya Stark is not as it seems.

He pays for a night at the motel, although he hopes he’ll be long gone come nightfall. If any luck, he can find Arya before she gets a chance to leave town and get some damn answers. He’s waited five bloody years for it and a few more hours just might kill him.

He throws the bag of medical supplies on the bed with a small bounce as he removes his shirt completely, wondering how the fuck he managed to not get any blood on it thus far.

Gendry wipes, cleans, soaks, and sews his wound up in a matter of just half an hour. Having his left arm injured while he favors his right actually makes all of this a lot easier to deal with. If his right arm was out of commission, he’d be fucked for sure. More fucked than he already is.

Within the time frame it took him to fix up his arm and throw his shirt back on, he’s seen the same tall shadow pass by his motel room window twice, and now he watches as the same shadow hovers just outside the door.

He removes his loaded gun from the waist band of his jeans slowly, keeping it close to his chest as he gingerly walks over to the window.

He pulls back the curtain at the opposite end of the silhouette ever so slightly to see a tall broad shouldered dark headed man waiting for him at the door.

Gun still in hand, he cracks the door open just enough to reveal to the man that he is armed and not playing games, “Oi, what the fuck are you on about?”

The man doesn’t look at Gendry or the gun pointed at his side, “My boss would like a word.”

Gendry almost laughs, he’s about had enough of ‘bosses’ for this lifetime, “Pass. But you can still tell me who the bloody hell sent you here.”

The man keeps his gaze directed at the parking lot, “She said you would refuse, and to tell you that she has information you are after. Information regarding an Arya Stark.”

Gendry doesn’t look as surprised as he should be at the mention of Arya’s name, of course this is about her. He wants to refuse still, but if it means finding Arya, he’ll do whatever it takes. Even if that means he’s walking into a trap and to his untimely death. The irony that he’d die for her even after she broke his heart is not lost on him either.

He closes the door back quickly, shielding his gun away once more and grabs his stuff from the bed and makes his way out to the waiting black SUV in the parking lot.

Gendry gets into the backseat reluctantly while the tall man gets in the driver’s seat and proceeds to head out to the highway. They drive out of town and end up on an old road leading to what looks to be the oldest part of Highgarden itself. Very large houses and mansions a like line both sides of the road as they turn onto what he assumes is a _very_ private driveway leading through acres and acres of trees.

After about five more minutes of driving down the long driveway, they come to an opening where a large house, no, a bloody _castle_ sits at the top of the hill.

“Where the _fuck_ are we?” He says out loud, albeit mostly to himself while marveling at the view from the backseat window. 

The driver pulls the car up to the front entrance as Gendry gets out and stares at the house in front of him, “Who the fuck lives in a fucking _castle_?” He says to the driver who is ignoring any of his comments while now walking up the stairs as Gendry follows suit.

He leads Gendry inside the main part of the castle and to a large deck on the other side of the living room, balcony doors wide open to allow the cool breeze to flow freely.

He sees her then, Olenna Tyrell, sitting at the patio table overlooking the woods and a large garden below sipping gingerly on a glass of red wine. He’s never met her before, but the stories Davos has told him of the one and only Olenna Tyrell and former agent of MI6 and of her appearance, those few details makes him undoubtedly sure that’s who summoned him here today.

She’s wearing a dress, light colored with intricate designs and jewels sparkling in the sunlight with her signature hat, as Davos’ used to say, that sits firmly on the top of her head, with light fabric framing her face on either side.

She eyes him before he’s outside and gives him a small smile and nods her head for the driver to give them some privacy. He nods in return and closes the balcony doors once Gendry has walked outside and sat down on the opposite side of Olenna.

“Agent Waters. Would you like a drink? Some wine perhaps? I do favor it over the others, so I’m well stocked.”

Gendry ignores her question, “ _Former_ agent. And please, just call me Gendry.”

Olenna bows her head slightly, taking his request into consideration before speaking again, “Alright, Gendry. You caused quite a disturbance at the train station earlier today.”

Gendry looks confused, eyes scrunching, “How did you know about that?”

Olenna gives him a look that suggestions his question was a rather a stupid one, “When an _MI6 agent_ shows up in my city, trust me lad, it’s my job to know about it.”

Gendry relaxes slightly at her calm tone of voice, but stays quiet, nonetheless.

“I take it you’ve heard of my history with the agency?” Olenna sips her wine waiting for his response.

Gendry leans back in his chair and crosses his arms against his chest, wondering what the point of him coming here was exactly, “Yes. Davos Seaworth speaks very highly of you. After meeting you in person, in my opinion, I thought you’d be more intimidating.”

Olenna relaxes back in her chair as well, gripping her wine glass, rings tinkling off the sides, “Well my boy, the day is still young.” She gives him a charming smile while taking a drink of her almost empty wine glass.

Gendry laughs pleased that he can get along with her so easily. He remembers then the reason for his visit and sits up in his chair while folding his hands together on the table.

“You have some information for me regarding my bounty.”

Olenna leans back towards the table sitting her empty glass down, “Ah, yes. Ms. Stark’s reputation precedes her. She’s a little ball of fire, that one.” She slides him a piece of paper he didn’t notice she was holding before.

“After she left the train station, I had one of my men follow her for as long as he could, I have no doubt she was able to evade him after a short time. But he did report back to me that she was headed to a small airstrip just outside of town. He did some digging and found the only vessel there is a small cargo plane scheduled to leave in two hours’ time.”

With a bit of nervous raddling his sweaty hand, he unfolds the paper to read just where Arya is now headed, “ _Bloody hell_.”

Olenna keeps her gaze fixed on him, “There’s a change looming over the horizon, dear child. Please be careful and remember everything you were taught. You’re going to need it.”

A young servant appears then to refill her wine glass, “As a sign of good faith to my oldest friend, Mr. Seaworth, I will lend you my jet for a one-way trip to your destination, after that, I’m afraid you’re on your own.”

He nods as a silent thank you and gets up from the table to follow the driver back out to the front of the castle, “Oh, and Gendry…”

He stops and turns to his newfound ally, “Do give my best to Davos next time you speak with him. Good luck on your journey.”

“Aye. Thank you, my lady.” He bows slightly and very quickly making for a hastily exit, eager to get to Arya before she disappears on him for good, again.

***

She’s fired hundreds of shots before, maybe even thousands. Either at specific targets, whether they be alive and animated or still and inanimate, nothing could have ever prepared her for the feeling of firing a bullet at the person you love. If she hesitated to give him a chance to change positions or if she moved even an inch, her mark would be off, and she would do damage she could never come back from.

She knew the damage to his arm was minimum at best, nothing a few stitches wouldn’t fix, so once she saw he was down, stunned and unable to follow after her, she unclips the magazine in his gun before throwing it to the ground and running away as fast as her legs could take her. She knew it was the only way to subdue him long enough for her escape.

He should be grateful that’s all she did, once she learned he was MI6 when they met, she wanted to hit something, anything within reach, because it fucking _hurt_. It hurt how she realized Melisandre forced her to leave him knowing he was one of her agents as well. She threatened two of her own agents that night. So basically, she left him and broke his heart for no fucking reason at all. He was just as deep in that world as she was. They could have figured it out, together, if she would have just been honest from the very start. No wonder she fell in love with him so easily, they had more in common than she could ever believe was possible. And what’s worse is what he thinks of her now.

He doesn’t know that Arya has always been on the right side, he only believes what everyone else does, that she is a cold-blooded heartless assassin incapable of maintaining a healthy relationship with anyone.

And that hurts worse than anything, because it’s completely false, but at this point, he won’t believe anything else she tells him. The damage is done and it’s something she doesn’t want to think they can never come back from.

Her need to keep him alive and safe outweighs anything he thinks about her now that he knows the partial truth about who Arry really is. The more he stays away from her until she figures out how to get to Mel and stop her for good, the better off they are.

He gets the best of her and she can’t help but let her guard down around him and if that were to happen when it really counted, they would surely pay for it.

She just hopes after all this mess is over and done with, she’ll get the chance to prove him wrong and how sorry she is for what she did to him all those years ago.

Once she leaves the train station, she walks casually down the street through the busy city and then slips into a women’s clothing store just inside town. After she picks out a simple white tank top covered up by a red and blue satin sports racing jacket and blue skinny jeans, she takes the clothes to the back-changing room, switching outfits quickly, keeping her chucks she stole from the train and then high tails it out the back exit before any of the employees know she’s gone with their stolen merchandise.

This is not Arya’s first time in Highgarden, between missions for both MI6 and TFM, it’s a city she’s gotten very familiar with over the years. She makes her way out of town, opting to walk since she has no money for transportation and heads for a small airstrip she’s frequented before, knowing the only person that uses it is an old ally of Jaqen H’Ghar.

She finds it easily and faster than she anticipated. She spots the man she is looking for as he fuels up the engine, and then turns in her direction as he sees her approach the plane.

“Valar Morghulis.” She says simply as the man nods in confirmation.

She doesn’t care what his destination is, if he gets her in the air and far away from wherever Gendry is, then she’ll take whatever she can get.

***

He sits in his seat as still as he can, nerves getting the best of him as he taps his foot lightly, needing to keep some part of his body moving before he goes bat shit crazy in anticipation of seeing Arya again.

The flight to the island of Naath takes longer than he would like it too. All he wants is to get to Arya and get the hell out of there as soon as he can. The memories of the time they shared there and of him waking up alone that fateful morning still haunt his every dream and the longer he’s here again, the more his anger and fury at how she left him grows with each passing second.

He’s not sure how or why she ended back up at the same place they first met, but he has a feeling it was not intentional. He assumes that this is where the plane was headed and Arya being desperate to get away from him, didn’t have time to argue or find an alternative means of escape.

The irony is sure to not be lost on either of them that after all these years, they would end up back here, in much different circumstances this time around.

If she’s trying to lay low and not bring attention to her whereabouts, she’d go someplace familiar, somewhere she is comfortable. Luckily, he now knows exactly where to find her this time.

After Olenna Tyrell’s place lands at the lavishly private airport, he bids farewell to the pilot and hails a cab straight to Dany’s across town.

He walks down the street, heart beating rapidly in his chest and in his ears, he sighs deeply at the memories that come rushing back to the forefront of his mind.

Some good, and some bad. The bad ones are the ones his mind tends to focus on more, restless at not getting the right closure of what happened between him and his lost love.

He stops just before crossing the street, taking in the view in front of him he wasn’t expecting to see.

The lights are off, and the outside looks fairly unkept. Surely Missandei didn’t sell or close the place knowing how much it meant to her.

After picking the lock, he walks in slowly to find the place is in fact closed, and has been for some time now, the bar top and furniture covered in beige sheets aligned with a thin layer of dust on top.

Before he has a chance to register any additional changes he didn’t immediately notice, the kitchen door swings open and his breath stops short at the overwhelming feeling of déjà vu hitting him like a freight train.

Arya steps out of the kitchen and behind the bar and her eyes go wide at the sight of him, “What the fuck are you doing here, you stupid, stupid fucking bull!” She’s pissed. Good, she should be, because she’s not alone in the anger department.

“Well hello to you to, m’lady.”

Arya is not amused, “You shouldn’t be here, I told you to stay far away from me.”

Gendry sits down on a dusty bar stool, “Well you should know me well enough to know I’m stubborn and don’t take orders from people smaller than me.”

“I’m not fucking around, Gendry. If you’re near me then you’re in danger too.”

Gendry brushes off her attempts to get rid of him with her vague sentences, “That should be for me to decide for myself.”

He sighs, tired of arguing with her, “I trust my training, and my instincts.”

Arya keeps his gaze, “Aye. And I, mine.”

She stays behind the bar, not looking away from his piercing blue eyes and his breath catches in his throat.

He stands up, walking around as if he’s stretching his legs, but really, he’s trying to avoid staring at her for too long, when all he wants to do is hold her in his arms and finally have the feel of her lips against his again.

He walks over to the window, pulling the dusty blinds down a little to look outside, “So where is Missandei? I never took her to give this place up.”

Arya stays behind the bar, leaning on it with both hands, jacket sleeves raised to her elbows, “She didn’t. She and Grey left for their honeymoon about a year ago and decided to extend it and travel the world. It’ll be here for her when they get back.”

Gendry pays no mind to the admission of his best friend and hers getting married, attention solely focused on someone approaching the bar outside.

“Umm, Arya, ‘fraid we got company.”

She looks at him confused and afraid as he continues to stare out the window, “Do you know who it is?”

“No clue, but he’s built like a fucking _mountain_.” Gendry continues to watch as the _mountain_ outside pulls back a large assault rifle from the strap on his back and aims it directly for the window he’s standing at. 

Before they know what’s hitting them, a large string of bullets tear through the windows and building, glass shattering profusely in its wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really curious as to what you guys think is the reason Mel wants Arya dead, drop a comment if you feel like sharing your theories!


	12. Girl I Will Cover You When The Sky Comes Crashing In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No.” He’s not convinced.  
> "Bullshit." She smiles.  
> “Okay, maybe a little.” There it is.
> 
> World On Fire by Les Friction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Side note: If you aren't listening to the song titles as you read, I recommend you start as from now on it makes the experience better. ♥
> 
> I made a playlist for all the songs so far and a few to come later on my youtube channel under the same name.  
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKPAbNh_rRxQGv5hOk1Jiu_19Vl4NLaMj
> 
> AND, for this chapter I brought in Tormund (bc we were robbed of scenes between him and Arya) and then Andy the extra and the crows from The Last Watch Special who I got to meet and hang out with at Con of Thrones in July. It was epic and unlike anything else. =D

Present Day- Naath

It only takes him a nanosecond to know what he needs to do as soon as he sees the gun pointed at the bar, protecting Arya is the only thing his brain can concentrate on as he’s running towards her as fast as he can as loud piercing shots ring out throughout the bar, shattering everything in their path.

Gendry hauls himself forward quickly as he dives over the bar top head first in front of Arya grabbing her shoulders pushing her down towards the ground behind the bar, shielding himself in between her and the bullets that are being fired in their direction.

She lands on the floor clumsily and just before Gendry’s body falls on top of hers, crushing her to the glass ridden ground, he feels a sharp, excruciating pain pierce his shoulder in the same injured arm from earlier in the day.

A loud and painful “Fuck!” is all he can manage to get out as his body crashes to the floor behind the bar, bloody staining his shirt on the left side. He sees Arya down on the other side of the bar to just the right of him and he sighs in relief when he sees she’s otherwise unscathed.

She pushes herself back against the bar, trying to make herself as small as she can while Gendry does the same on the other end.

The bullets let up slightly, glass breaking the mirror behind the bar along with the shelves of liquor as they pour out onto the bar top in front of them, dripping down to the floor in a flood of liquid amber.

Gendry slams his head back against the bar, hard, while his face scrunches up in deep pain from the new bullet hole in his arm. He’s now taken two bullets today and both of them have Arya Stark’s name written on them.

All he can focus on is the pain, not getting shot again and not letting anything happen to Arya. The latter is the most important as he looks over at her while keeping pressure on his wound.

She looks over at him at the same time with squinted eyes as dust and smoke fill the small space, “How you doing there, bull?”

He really wants to laugh at this fuckery but keeps his composure as he looks at her with fire in his angry eyes, “I’m tired of getting _fucking shot_ today because of you!”

She laughs at his bad attempt at making her feel guilty, “Give me your gun!”

He groans in frustration, “Can’t, fell out by the window while I was tackling you.”

The bullets stop then, and he watches as Arya takes a chance to get a peek to what is happening on the other side of the broken window. She stands halfway up to see Gregor Clegane standing outside the now open and glassless window, reloading his rifle with a new magazine as he takes slow and hesitant steps inside, most likely wondering if his attempts to eliminate them were successful.

She sits back down, “He’s reloading and getting closer. If we don’t stop him, we’re not making it out of here alive.”

Gendry raises his eyebrows at her in annoyance, “No shit. What do you suggest we do?”

He sees Arya look around at the mess and then his eyes follow hers as they land on a large kitchen knife that must have fallen off the shelf by Gendry’s feet. _She’s not about to do what I think she’s going to do, right?_ He thinks to himself, slightly amused at her joy for sharp knives.

“Give me that!” She says, pointing to the knife with more excitement than necessary in their current predicament. Yes, yes she is.

He reaches forward as best as he can and slides the knife across the floor to Arya, and then leans back against the bar. 

She grabs it quickly and then stands up to face the threat of death head on. Gendry watches the scene unfold from one of them small pieces of attached unbroken mirror on the wall in front of him. Gregor is taken back by her sudden appearance and it’s just the distraction she needs as she throws the knife hard and precise, making the pointy end land in the middle of his throat.

He drops the gun as blood gushes out around his neck, delivering the fatal blow to end his life, his now lifeless body falls to the ground with a thump.

She gives herself a congratulatory smile down at Gendry as he attempts to stand up, steadying himself on the bar top covered in shards of broken glass.

Gendry’s jaw drops slightly and he feels his cock start to twitch a little at what Arya just did to save them both.

She notices his shock as she turns to face him, “What?”

He shakes it off quickly trying to think of anything else to keep from getting a hard on right here and now, “Nothing, if I wasn’t in so much pain from this new bullet hole, I’d tell you how fucking _hot_ that was.” He lets out a shaky laugh but then sobers quickly, “We need to leave, now.” 

Still holding his left shoulder, he steps around the bar to let Arya help him outside.

He throws his right arm over her shoulder as she holds him around his waist, stepping over the dead body. He recognizes the dead man immediately and it sends a shiver down his spine, “That was Gregor Clegane. He was a bodyguard of Melisandre back in the day when I first started at the agency.”

They walk outside to the thankfully empty street, “And he tried to kill me. Do you believe me now?”

Gendry looks down at her with fear in his eyes, she was telling him the truth and he was so pissed at her for all the other lies, he couldn’t see reason and it almost cost both of them their lives, “I do. And I’m sorry I doubted you. I won’t make that mistake again, at least not when it comes to attempts on your life.”

She rolls her eyes at his stubbornness, “We need to get off this island before someone finds that body, and us. And we need to get you cleaned up and get that bullet out.”

They walk around to the back of the building and find Missandei’s car parked in its usual spot.

Arya helps Gendry climb in the back as she gets in the front and begins to hot wire it in order for it to start. Sweat drips from his forehead and he feels like he’s going to be sick.

He relaxes as much as he can as she drives out of the city and towards a well-known secluded area in the woods.

He doesn’t say anything, already knowing where she’s taking him to. Another round of memories rears their ugly head as the car comes to a stop and he finally breaks their awkward silence, annoyance clear in his tone, “What the hell are we doing out here? Is the magical fucking waterfall supposed to heal my wound?” He doesn’t want to be here, it’s too fucking hard, even after all these years have passed. 

“Fucking hell, Gendry. Would you just shut up and trust me for once?”

The rest of the walk towards the cave is silent and once they get there she demands him to sit down on the rock opening behind the waterfall, just a few feet from where they shared their first kiss. He thinks back to that day and how good her lips felt against his and he wants nothing more than to be able to have that feeling again. The same one that haunts his dreams almost every single night.

He shakes his thoughts from that day away as he watches her pull a loose large rock out of the wall of the cave and then forces her small frame about halfway through the opening. _What the bloody hell is she doing_ , he thinks to himself and then a few seconds later she emerges with a large black duffel bag.

He watches carefully as she pulls out a pair of women’s clothes, a blonde long-haired wig, a zip-loc bag of cash and passports and i.ds, a gun and a pocket knife, along with a small first aid kit.

“A go-bag, really?” He tries to look unimpressed as she flicks the pocket knife open and lays the first aid supplies out in front of her. _Did the faceless men teach her that_ , he thinks curiously as he keeps her gaze and she points the knife at him, “Take off your shirt.” 

His annoyance at her bossiness returns as he does as he’s told and uses his good arm to lift the blood-stained shirt over his head.

Once his shirt is over his head he notices how Arya is not so subtly ogling him at his half nakedness and very toned upper body. His chest hair sticks out weirdly from the sweat covering his body and he watches her eyes trail his second tattoo on his chest. The pain is throbbing in his shoulder, but he can’t help but to let her stare a few seconds longer before he clears his throat, forcing her out of her stance and to look at him in the eyes.

She gives him a wicked grin, “Hold still.”

He groans knowing what she’s about to do and the amount of pain he is sure to be in, “You’re going to enjoy this aren’t you?”

“No.” He’s not convinced.

"Bullshit." She smiles. 

“Okay, maybe a little.” There it is.

She spends the next few minutes cleaning and cutting the bullet out of his shoulder as he cries out in pain. He looks up at where the tree line meets the blue sky above, trying to focus on anything but what she’s doing.

It’s then as his mind tries to focus on anything but the pain that he remembers what Arya said at the bar just before the madness started, “How did you know Missandei and Grey got married? Did you stay in contact with them after you left?”

Arya shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, “I kept tabs on them, made sure they were okay, but never made actual contact. I knew you were at the wedding.”

“You kept tabs on them, but not me?” Yeah, he’s not thinking about the physically pain in his arm at all right now, only the emotional one in his chest.

Arya focuses on the task at hand, never meeting his steely gaze, “I tried, for a while. You were hard to keep up with and then eventually it was just too hard for me to keep trying, so I stopped trying altogether.”

She still doesn’t meet his eyes and he’s thankful for it, “Did you stay in touch after they were married?”

He looks at the waterfall in front of him, “Not as much as I probably should have, life just got in the way too often. I didn’t even know they took an extended honeymoon, but you did. I asked Missandei all the time about you, y’know?”

Her eyes find his then, if only for a moment before she returns her concentration to his wound, so he continues, “When I saw them again after you and I went our separate ways, I asked Missandei if she had heard from you. She said no but she was hopeful you would one day. By the third year after you were gone, I didn’t even have to ask, she would just give me a sad look and shake her head. After that I stopped asking, already having known the answer before the question even needed to be spoken.”

She tries to make light of his confessions, “Well I’m not sorry she wasn’t here for a reunion. I took the long road, but I made it back eventually.”

They both made it back, albeit under very different circumstances this time around. If he hadn’t had followed her here like she told him not too, he wouldn’t be in the position he is in right now.

He’s only in this situation in the first place because he was trying to protect her, and he knows that this is the exact thing she was trying to prevent from happening by pushing him away, but he’s just so fucking stubborn. He meant it when he said he wasn’t losing her again, although he tried acting like it was just a part of the job he was hired to do as a bounty hunter. He’s way past his fucking job now, the only thing he cares about is protecting her and keeping her in his life no matter what it takes.

She does the best she can to make sure the hole in his shoulder is not exposed, so she piles it with the few gauze pads she has in the kit and he finally lets his eyes find hers once more.

She doesn’t notice his staring, only concentrating on what she’s doing, “You didn’t have to do that, y’know. I know how to duck when bullets are flying at me.”

He stares at the ground, unsure of what to say. Of course, he had to save her. He couldn’t fathom doing anything else in that moment.

She breaks the silence before he can respond, “But I’m glad you did.”

She wraps the tan bandage over his shoulder and then back under his arm, and then back again until it’s completely covered.

He feels her tighten the end of the bandage wrap before letting her hands drop to her side, away from his touch, “Would you take a third bullet for me today?” She says with a slight tug of a smile.

He thinks she means for the question to be an attempt at humor with her tone of voice, knowing how aggravated he was earlier when it happened. But he can’t joke about something like that, he can only deliver an honest to the gods answer.

He leans forward so there’s little space between them, “Even if it killed me.”

His breath catches in his throat at the way she is looking at him and he can’t help but to take a chance to look down at her lips and then back up into her dark grey eyes again.

 _Don’t be an idiot, you do have time for this_ , he thinks to himself. They have to get back to the mainland as soon as possible. He knows that she knows it too. He breaks the tension by grabbing his blood-stained shirt and throwing it back over his head as she steps back and reaches out a hand for him to take, “Come on, we should go before Mel and Stannis catch wind of another failed attempt to end my life.”

He takes her hand, so she can help him stand up on unsteady feet, “You’re right. I have a place, but we’ll need to get off this island unnoticed.”

She releases his hand, and he already misses the feel of holding it.

She smiles up at him as they walk back to the car with her bag in hand, “Leave that to me. We need to get to the shipping yard. I know a guy, he helped me with a favor once.”

He feels his fury grow stronger at what that means, “Let me guess, he helped you get off this island about five years ago?”

Her silence says everything and he knows he’s right.

***

She says nothing for the rest of the way to the docks, she can’t because he’s right. And telling him anything now, right when they’ve made an unspoken pact to stick together for survival, would open a flood of emotions and secrets they don’t have time to figure out. Maybe once they get to wherever it is they’re going, she’ll find the words and the courage to open up to him, about everything this time. 

The silence is excruciating as Gendry relaxes in the front seat and Arya drives them down to the docks to catch a ride back to Westeros in utter awkward silence.

It’s finally cut as they make their way down the long pier to a large ship docked at the marina as a very large, red headed long bearded man steps onto the pier to greet them.

“Little wolf!”

She feels Gendry tense beside her as they come face to face with the red head.

“Tormund!” He leans down slightly to grab Arya into a tight bear hug, ultimately lifting her completely off the ground and into his arms.

Once he sets her feet back firmly on solid ground, he turns and gives Gendry a curious once over, “Is this the bloke you didn’t want to leave the day we met?”

She feels the blood rush to her cheeks as she manages a shaky, “Yes.” to his question.

If Gendry has any comment about that question, she happy he keeps it to himself. For now.

Arya ignores the new-found tension, “We need transportation back to Westeros, please tell me that’s where you’re headed.”

Tormund’s face lights up in excitement, “Yes, it is! We’ll be glad to have ya, come on aboard!”

He grabs Arya and Gendry’s bags easily, “We leave for Mistwood at dusk and are scheduled to arrive at dawn. Lucky for you, we just cleared out an extra room. You’ll have to share if you don’t want to sleep on the fish crates.”

Arya chimes in before Gendry can say anything, “That will be fine, thank you.”

The reach the top of the deck as Tormund announces to the rest of the crew that they have two additional passengers.

It’s eerily quiet for a minute before the rest of the crew emerge, a variety of very large men with very long beards. Cheers and whistles erupt as they realize it’s their little she wolf that’s joining them.

After they each take turns pulling Arya into a hug, she turns to face Gendry and introduce them to him.

“Gendry, this is Tormund, the captain of this ship and a good friend. These are his first mates, Andy, Bobby and Hammer.”

She watches as he gives them each a wary smile as she names them one by one. She just hopes if he must greet them again later, he gets all the bloody names right. Gods forbid, he calls them the wrong name when they’re deep in the ale.

Andy, a tall man with a long greyish beard shows them to the only available room they have, and Arya is thankful for a little quiet, apart from any snide comments from her bunk mate.

Arya and Gendry walk in and set their bags down on the bed as she turns back to Andy standing in the doorway, “Hey Andy, is Edd around? Gendry has a bullet wound that needs to be looked at.”

Andy’s eyes widen slightly at the mention of a bullet wound, but he shakes it off quickly, not wanting to dwell on the reason, “Sure, little wolf. I’ll send him in right away.”

Andy closes the door as Gendry turns in Arya’s direction as she sits on the bed, “Edd?”

“He’s a doctor. Or rather was a doctor, he stopped practicing years ago to travel the world with Tormund and his crew and they like having someone around that’s a medical expertise. It’s the best you’re going to get in our current predicament. No use in complaining.”

Gendry sits down on the bed beside her, “I’m not complaining, just gathering information. As much as it pains me to think about how you know these people, I’m still grateful for their help, and yours.”

“Good.” She smiles at him as they hear a faint knock on the wooden door.

“Come in, Edd!”

They watch as the door opens, and a man appears in the room holding a black bag they assume is filled with medical supplies. He’s shorter than the rest with long brown hair to his shoulders and a short beard.

“Hello, Arya. Nice to see you again. I heard your friend has a wound that needs checking.”

Arya turns to Gendry, “He’s the only one that won’t call me little wolf as he feels it’s a slight insult.”

They both laugh as Gendry removes his shirt, the bandage Arya wrapped his wound in already soaked with wet crimson.

She watches carefully as Edd undresses, cleans, sews, and redresses his wound, the room engulfed in content silence.

Edd heads for the door, but pauses to look at them both, “It’ll need a least one more dressing before the bleeding stops for good but I’m confident that’s all you’ll need. No early signs of infection. Dinner will be served once we head out at dusk, see you both then.”

“Thanks, Edd.” And once again, it’s just Arya and Gendry and all the elephants of unspoken feelings and truth in the room. This is sure to be a long, long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll comments on here and on Tumblr are seriously the best, I couldn't do this without the love and support. ♥♥  
> SO A HUGE THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!


	13. I'll Hold You When Things Go Wrong, I'll Be With You From Dusk Till Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She’ll never know what she did in this life to deserve the likes of one Gendry Waters. But whatever it is, she’s fucking glad she did.
> 
> "Dusk Till Dawn" By Zayn Feat. Sia
> 
> (I still meant what I said about listening to the songs, ESPECIALLY in chapter 15 ;D)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to disappoint, but no boatsex. Seriously that comment made me lol so hard. I mean, Gendry is still injured, sooo. 
> 
> Bear with me a little longer, the smut will return, I promise!

Present Day- Naath 

The silence is awkward, but not necessarily uncomfortable. They’ve reached a turning point in this cat and mouse chase they’ve been going at for days now and it’s something they’ve yet to acknowledge, at least not out loud and in so many words.

Gendry didn’t miss what Tormund said about how Arya didn’t want to leave him all those years ago, or the fact that Edd referred to her as Arya and not Arry or another alias she’s been known to use in the past. _Do they know the real Arya Stark_ , he asks himself silently as the silence drags on in the small room with the small bed they have to share later in the night. He should be thankful he’s injured, otherwise he would probably do something stupid like lose what little self-control he has when he’s around Arya.

He relaxes as Arya finally breaks the tension, “Come on, I’ll show you around before dinner, and we need to find you a clean shirt.” She gives his bare chest a good once over before she stands up and heads for the door.

Another tap on the door hushes whatever response Gendry had to her offer and he watches as she opens it and lets Edd step back into the room once more, hands now filed with various items of clothing as if he knew exactly what Gendry needed.

“I thought you might want a clean shirt, so I found some old stuff the lads were getting ready to donate; Take whatever you need.”

Gendry stands up and takes the clothes from Edd, “Thanks mate, I really appreciate it.”

“I was just getting ready to show Gendry around the ship before we ate. Is everything the same from my last visit?”

Edd smiles at Arya, “It is, save for a few extra holes in the walls we have yet to fix; You know how this lot gets when they’re deep in their cups.”

They both laugh as Gendry picks a navy-blue t-shirt about his size out of the pile and throws the rest on the bed and tosses the blood-stained shirt to Edd in the doorway, “Burn that for me, will you?”

He catches the shirt with ease and smiles, “You got it, mate. See you both later.”

As he puts the clean t-shirt on over his head, he doesn’t miss the way Arya’s eyes linger a little longer on his half-naked body, much like the way she did when she was cleaning his wound in the cave.

She seems to come out of her internal fantasy once he’s clothed again and she’s the first to leave the room, and he’s glad for it as the small space around them was starting to make him feel claustrophobic, something he’s never had a problem with until he had to share a small room with the woman he loves, that doesn’t know he loves her and all the unresolved sexual tension in the air.

He honestly thought he was finally starting to get over her, but then she came back into his life like a god damn hurricane and he knows he’ll never be the same. And what’s worse is knowing her past, knowing that she is a trained assassin means nothing to him as far as his feelings are concerned. It should, considering she’s everything he’s sworn to be against, but he’s still more in love with her than he’s ever been, but the fact that they’re in the mess they’re in, and he can’t do anything about it is killing him. Technically, he could do something about it, but if she rejects him or starts to put her walls back up while he’s still trying to help save her life, then it will be a fucking disaster. It’s too big of a risk, especially when it comes to her well being, and that’s something he’ll never risk. He’d rather die than let anything happen to her and he’s proved it to her today, both by action and confession.

As they walk around the ship, stopping at important rooms so Arya can tell him a funny joke about something that happened on her many adventures with the boys over the last few years, Gendry finds a soft opening to ask her something that’s been plaguing his mind since they arrived, “So I noticed how Edd calls you Arya and not Arry or something else, does he know the real you? Do they all do?”

He watches as her faces scrunches in contemplation, “They know what they need to. They know my name is Arya Stark and that I was a faceless man for a long time. I wasn’t the first one they came across on their travels, so it wasn’t necessary for me to hide that part of my life. It didn’t matter that I was a faceless assassin, they took me in as one of their own regardless.”

Gendry nods in understanding as he tries to find the words of his next question and the most important one he wants to know the answer to, “And what about what Tormund said when we met? About you not wanting to leave me that night? Did you tell him about us?”

If Arya is uncomfortable with the question, she doesn’t let it show, “I told him I needed to leave right away, that someone I cared about was here and I needed space between us, and that I was reluctant to go. I almost got off at least a dozen times before we actually set sail that night.”

“Why didn’t you?” She ignores his question.

She continues, needing to get the words out before she gets scared and can’t say them, “He let me cry in peace and gave me whatever I needed and after I came out of my room, we never brought it up again. And that was that.”

He wants to know more, but at the same he won’t ask for fear of risking her shutting down on him again, “And you traveled with them again more times after that?”

They’re almost to the kitchen now, after walking around for a couple of hours, the smell of chicken and pork flowing through the air making them stop to take it all in, stomachs growling loudly in response to the delicious smells. 

“Yes. After I said goodbye to them the first time, they made it clear I was welcome back anytime after that. So whenever I needed to travel by boat for a mis-“ she stops and corrects herself and he doesn’t miss the stumble of words, “for a hit, I would join them for a while, letting them take me wherever I needed to go and they were always happy to oblige when I asked.”

He thinks she has more to say but doesn’t know how to say it, “Gendry, I… there’s something else that you don’t know.”

Yeah, there’s a lot he doesn’t know and wants to know desperately, but he stays quiet and waits for her to continue for fear of scaring her into submission.

“I’m…” Before she can finish, Andy appears in the hallway from the dining hall that’s next to the kitchen.

“Our feast awaits!” He says leading them to the dining table.

“You were about to say something?” He whispers to only her as they follow in line behind the tall bearded man.

She stiffens subtly as they sit down at the long table clad with dishes and bowls and trays of food, “Later.”

***

She wanted so badly to tell him in that moment, but the universe made it clear that it wasn’t the _right_ moment.

She’s afraid at how he’ll react when she tells him she’s just like him, that she too is an MI6 agent, fighting for all that’s good in the world. She expects him to be pissed considering it’s just another bit of pertinent information she had been keeping from him, but she’s also expecting him to look at her differently, in a way that’s sure to make her heart soar with feelings she longed for since they departed all those years ago and that terrifies her to no end.

Her silent revere of feelings is squandered by the sound of laughter mixed with loud chewing and silverware clinking against full plates of food. 

The large bearded men and Gendry dig in eagerly, while Arya can only sit back in adoration at the people in front of her, her second family of sorts.

Tormund sees her empty plate and speaks up in worried anger, “You should eat, little wolf! You’ll never grow as big as me if you don’t.”

She laughs then, “I don’t think anyone will grow as big as you, you big oof.”

The whole table laughs including Gendry who turns to Arya holding up a tray of food, “May I?”

He motions for him to fill Arya’s plate for her and she politely agrees as she feels the butterflies form in her belly at the simple, yet sweet gesture.

He’s fucking been shot twice today because of her, and yet here he is, helping her, making sure she eats and not worrying about himself.

She’ll never know what she did in this life to deserve the likes of one Gendry Waters. But whatever it is, she’s fucking glad she did.

Their tradition whenever Arya rejoins them out at sea, is to tell humorous tales of the adventures she missed when they were parted, and they never cease to ease away all the recent pain or stress she feels before she finds them again.

Andy animatedly tells a story while they eat of how he had to wrestle a boar to get his wallet back after he stole it right of out his picket while they were docked in the Summer Islands exploring the wonderous nature.

“So here we were, right in the middle of the fucking woods and he’s got my fucking wallet in his mouth staring me down. I dive head first and grab him by the tusks and…”

He makes motions with his hands while he speaks, and she realizes how being with them makes her feel safe and at home. She feels Gendry lean in to whisper in her ear and the proximity gives her goosebumps, “Is he always like this?” He laughs and her heart rate increases.

She smiles at the man telling the story, “ _Always._ Andy just has that way about him. He’s always looking to entertain.”

They all finish eating and then stick around to tell more stories and drink, something they are very good at doing.

A few hours pass and it’s when Gendry yawns beside her that she realizes how exhausted she is from all that’s happened with them in the past forty-eight hours. She knows with Gendry being wounded twice over today he could surely use the rest, before the inevitable confrontation happens within the unforeseeable future.

She watches as he struggles to maintain very heavy eyelids from closing completely, “Let’s get you to bed.”

She stops shorts as the words she just said repeats in her head and she realizes they did not come out as she intended by the look in his now very awake blue eyes.

She rolls her eyes in an attempt to look as nonchalant as possible, “I just mean, you should get some rest. You’re hurt and can barely keep your eyes open.”

She helps him up as they bid a subtle farewell to their travelling companions and make their way back to their room.

As they enter the room, her chest rises and falls quickly with the anticipation of being in close proximity to him throughout the night in the small bed they have to share.

She knows he senses her weariness but reassures him despite it, “Lay down, you need to sleep. Take the left side, I don’t want to accidentally hit your shoulder in my sleep. You’ve suffered enough from me already today and I’m a violent sleeper.”

“I remember.” He stares down at her, blues eyes shining in the dim light of the room, and smiles while doing as he’s told. He kicks off his boots and climbs in the bed on the left side and settles under the covers happily.

She climbs in after him on her side, and under the covers where she can feel the heat radiating off his body. It takes everything she has to not jump his bones right then and there, but he’s injured and hasn’t told him the truth yet, therefore stopping her short. She opts to stare at the ceiling, laying both arms over the blanket at her side in annoyance.

She feels him shift, tucking his left arm comfortable under the sheet while letting his right arm fall to his side next to hers.

The heat coming off his arm is causing heat to rise in another place on her body and she swears that she’s going to lose her fucking mind being so close to him. She feels his hand inch closer to hers as his fingers pull to hers like a magnet, brushing softly with her own until their intertwined just a little.

Even the smallest touch of his hand on hers is too difficult, she’s not ready for this, not yet. Not until he knows everything about her, it’s not fair to drag these feelings back to the surface before he knows exactly _who_ he’s getting this time around.

She pulls back her hand and rolls over to face the wall, “Goodnight Gendry.”

She feels him shift his right arm to tuck it under his head as he says, “Goodnight, milady,” before flipping the light switch to off on the wall beside him.

***

He listens to the crashes of the waves of the sea against the ship behind his head for what seems like hours before his eyes start to flutter closed and attempt to let the pull of sleep drag him down. He has yet to get anything close to sleep, the woman laying next to him keeping his thoughts and mind wide awake all through the night.

Sometime ago, the noise of the men outside their door subsided substantially, therefore he knows it’s in the middle of the night sometime.

 _What was she about to tell me? Was it the reason she left?_ He thinks to himself for the millionth time that night since trying to drift off to sleep. 

As his mind replays those words she spoke for the umpteenth time, he feels Arya’s body twitch violently in her sleep as she cries out in what he can only guess is unbearable pain. She’s uttering incoherent words, the only one’s he’s able to make out clearly are ‘no and ‘not him.’

He can’t lay here and watch her like this, watch her continue to torture herself in whatever nightmare she is having.

He sits up in the bed and shakes her firmly with his good arm, “Arya? Arya! Wake up!”

She sits straight up in the bed then and just misses crashing her head against his, sweat pouring down her forehead and the back of her neck. She’s panting heavily and Gendry’s not sure if she even knows if she’s awake or not.

“Hey, it was just a dream, you’re okay.” He grabs her hand, holding firmly in his as he watches her regain control over her erratic breathing.

Her breathing calms down as she lays her head back down on the pillow while still gripping his hand in hers tightly.

He lays down beside her keeping their hands laced together, “Do you want to talk about it?”

He looks at her with a somber expression as she beings to speak, “It was nothing. Just a dream about my family dying, one I’ve had many times before.”

Tears fill her eyes as she continues, “It’s my fault you know? They were on their way to pick me up because I got kicked out of my water dancing class for punching a girl who made fun of me saying I looked like a boy. So, mum and dad had to bring the boys along since they didn’t have time to drop them off at the house before picking me up. Sansa was at her cheer leading practice, so it was just mum and dad and Bran and Rickon and Robb. They never made it and I sat there for hours, fuming with boredom and anger thinking they forgot about me.”

She wipes away a single tear that escaped, “It wasn’t until my uncle Benjen showed up and gave me _that look_ that I knew something was wrong. Before he even reached me, I ran. I didn’t get very far as Sansa caught me and held me in her arms until I finally stopped kicking and screaming after she told me they were gone, and that Bran was in the hospital paralyzed.”

Gendry feels her body thrash with sobs of sadness and anger as the tears coming flooding down her cheeks, so he pulls her closer to his chest and wraps his arms around her small frame as she buries her head in the crook of his neck.

“It wasn’t your fault, Arya. The man that caused the accident is the one to blame.”

She leans back slightly to look him in the eyes, “I know. I’ve come to terms with that a long time ago, even before I killed him.”

The news of Arya killing the man responsible for her family’s death is not news to him, therefore he doesn’t react, he only listens, “This dream. This time it was different, you were in the car with them and I couldn’t save you either.”

“I know my family is gone. That was a long time ago, but losing you? Having you die because of me, is something I will _never_ be able to live with. It’s why I left Gendry, why I’ve tried pushing you away since you found me in the club that night. I _can’t lose you_ either.”

He doesn’t say anything, just holds her tighter to his side, never wanting to let go, “I’m right here, Arry. I’m not going anywhere.”

She nestles her body into his in attempt for peaceful sleep as he realizes he is about to have the best night’s sleep he’s had in half a decade.

***

They wake to the scent of bacon and eggs in the air, limbs aching slightly from holding onto each other so tight in their sleep. Gendry was right, that was the best sleep he’s had in a _very_ long time.

The get out of bed and grab their clothes and belongings before meeting the others for breakfast, the atmosphere quiet but not unpleasant as they realize they’ve reached another unspoken turning point in their relationship in the middle of the night.

“You ready?” Gendry turns to see Arya waiting for him by the door with a sweet smile.

“I am, maybe after we eat I should get my bandage changed again before we dock at Mistwood.”

“Good idea,” she says as she opens the door leading down the hall to where the smell of the food is coming from.

Breakfast is quieter than dinner the night before, with most of the crew still being half asleep, weary from the animated night they had after Gendry and Arya turned in.

Gendry gets the last clean bandage on his arm as they dock at Mistwood as scheduled. Gendry stands back awkwardly as Arya says her goodbyes to Tormund and the crew, earning even tighter hugs than the previous day.

Gendry gives them a sheepish wave in departure as he and Arya make their way out of the harbor.

Arya stops them suddenly, ducking behind the building for restrooms, “Hold on.”

He watches as she puts the blonde wig over her brown hair from her bag and changes from her red and blue jacket to a faded black one.

She steps back out into the open after fixing her appearance “Okay, let’s go.”

Gendry laughs and Arya scowls putting her hands on her hips, “What?”

“You look like a barbie doll. Like literally, you’re the perfect size.” He pats her on the head for good measure.

That earns him a small punch to his good shoulder, “Shut up, stupid. That’s the point, right? Any of Mel’s goons will be looking for Arya, not Malibu barbie.”

His expression sobers, “Good point. Come on, I need to make a call.”

He pulls out his burner phone Davos gave him at the beginning of his task to bring in Arya and presses number one on the speed dial.

The person on the other end picks up after one ring, “Stone’s throw away. I need the works. Yes, I have the target, but things went sideways. There was an ambush, we’re fine but we need to lay low for a while.” And then he hangs up quickly, not waiting for a response.

Arya looks at him curiously, “I’m assuming you know what you’re doing and trust whoever was on the other line. Where are we going?”

“Yes, I do. And Blackhaven. It’s not too far away, about half a day’s drive, we just need a working car.”

“Special Agent Gendry Waters are you going to steal a car?” Arya can’t hide her amusement as she releases a deep laugh from the pit of her stomach.

“Now it’s your turn to shut up.” He’s not amused as his eyes searches for the least conspicuous vehicle parked at the marina.

He finds a rusty old van they can use that won’t draw hardly any attention, that looks like it’s been sitting there for a while, the owners mostly like on a boat out at sea.

The drive to Blackhaven is quiet, as Arya spends most of the time sleeping. He knows because of her nightmare the night before and all the demons she’s been battling internally with herself is taking an emotional toll on her body so the best thing she can do right now is rest her mind as best as she can.

Gendry stops the van about three miles from the safehouse, knowing they’ll have to travel the rest of the way on foot, much to Arya’s displeasure.

Once they park the van as far off the road as the road and woods would allow, Arya removes her wig and tosses it in her duffel before readjusting the straps, so she can carry it on her back. She shakes her natural hair about freely and Gendry can’t help but smile at how beautiful she is.

They begin the long walk through the woods and up the mountain, “You know, for someone who’s adamant about not being in the spy game anymore, you sure do have a lot of slyness still going on about you.”

He smiles, although it doesn’t reach his eyes, “I mean you have a safe house in the middle of the fucking woods that you seem to maintain regularly?”

He laughs then, “Once a spy, always a spy, right? If we’re going to do this, we might as well do it right. You’re forcing me back into my old ways, _little wolf_.”

“Don’t do that, that nickname is _not_ sticking with you,” She says pointing a sturdy, strong finger at him.

The sun begins making it’s decent behind the clouds and on the other side of the mountain as the sky changes into a cotton candy pink and blue, giving the prettiest aurora off the landscape in front of him.

A few more feet and the house appears in front of them then off into the distance, windows shining brightly with the setting sun. The house itself is mostly glass, very wide, and looks very expensive.

The remaining space between them and the house seems to take the longest, “Where did you find this place?” Arya says in complete bewilderment.

“I didn’t find it, I built it.”

Arya’s eyes widen as she stops suddenly, “Seriously?”

“I did. It’s completely off the grid and doesn’t show up on any map or satellite. It’s got infrared technology that shields any heat signatures on the inside.

Arya can’t hide her awe, “Impressive. Let’s see what this place is made of.”

They step up to the front door as Gendry types in an eight-digit key code into the keypad on the wall. Once he hits enter, the doors slide open quickly.

After they are safely on the other side of the doors, they slide closed and the alarm resets itself back to the armed setting.

Gendry and Arya set their bags down as Gendry calls out for his friend, “Davos? We’re here.”

Gendry watches Arya’s eyes widen in shock once more as she turns to face him, “Davos?! He’s your contact?”

He looks at her, eyebrows scrunched in confusion, “You know Davos?”

Before she has a chance to respond, the man in question rounds the corner and stops short when he sees the pair, eyes just as wide in shock under his glasses.

He approaches Arya and embraces her in a tight hug, “Thank the Gods above you’re alright dear, Gendry said there was an ambush, are either of you hurt?”

He releases Arya and looks back and forth between the two waiting for a response he’ll never get.

Gendry feels his confusion rise and start to turn into what he can only guess is his signature fury,  
“Are you fucking joking? What in the sevens hells is going on here?”

Davos gives Arya a weary look, “I assume you haven’t told him yet. I thought with your time together to get here, it would come up.”

“For fucks sake Arya, what aren’t you telling me now? Does this have anything to do why you left me five years ago?” He gestures between the three of them and now Davos looks confused.

“Wait, hold on for just minute here, lad. Arya is the one you drank yourself into a stupor over all those years ago?”

Gendry and Davos both notice how quiet Arya has been during this question yelling match.

Gendry’s eyes pass back in forth between Arya and Davos, “Well?”

Gendry watches as Arya gives Davos a look of desperate pleading and then he turns to focus on the old man standing in front of him.

Davos takes a hesitant step toward him and places a reassuring hand on his good shoulder, unknowingly to him, “Well son, I guess it’s about time you meet Special Agent Arya Stark of MI6.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the turning point people, the next chapter will reveal pretty much everything and be dialogue heavy, which might take me longer to write.  
> It's also going to set up how the rest of the story will go, which I have mostly figured out. 
> 
> Also, more Dadvos, because he's the best. ♥


	14. This Time, Don't Need Another Perfect Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Davos smiles and releases a breathy laugh, “Sounds more like fate if you ask me.”  
> Gendry and Arya both blush profusely and then say in unison, “We didn’t ask you.”  
> Which in turn only makes Davos laugh harder, “My point exactly.”
> 
> Secrets by One Republic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, first things first. If anything, I mean the tiniest little detail comes to your mind that doesn't make sense, it's probably cause I tweaked it a little bit. I tried to stay as true as I could to small details mentioned in other chapters but it's hard to keep up, so either I forgot or I didn't like the original and changed it. 
> 
> Second, this chapter sets up the future plot, which I'm still kinda working on. So bear with me. 
> 
> Third, as always THANK YOU for reading and commenting. It seriously makes my freaking day. 
> 
> Fourth, if you want a little visual of the safe house, I mirrored it from Joe Dempsie's character's house in 2x01 of Deep State.  
> And I posted some lovely screencaps of him from that episode on Tumblr today, cause the man is freaking delicious in that episode, okay? But for some reason tumblr isn't posting it in the Joe Dempsie or Gendrya tag, so find me under the same name and look at my page directly. I will be using said outfit in a future chapter for obvious smutty reasons.
> 
> Lastly, this chapter is longer and very Dialogue heavy. Hence the title and song choice. Happy Friday-Eve and Happy Reading!

Present Day- Blackhaven

Arya feels her heart constrict at the use of her full name in front of Gendry. Her _official birth certificate I’m a fucking MI6 spy_ name and it makes her feel more exposed and it’s more intimate that anything she’s ever experienced with him before.

She watches his face as his eyes move from hers, to Davos, and then back again seemingly without emotion. He’s quiet. Too quiet.

 _Just fucking say something, anything_ , she screams at him in her head as her patience is wearing very thin at his silence. She dares not be the first one to break it.

He looks at her with a solemn expression, “You’re an MI6 agent?”

She gulps, “Yes.”

His expression and gaze never wavers from hers, “And you were MI6 when we met?”

“Yes.” She manages to get out in a dry, scratchy voice.

He sighs and then looks over at Davos, who remains passive throughout the small exchange of words, “Right, is everything as I asked?”

Davos shakes his head, “Aye. Fully stocked.”

“Okay.” He turns back to Arya, giving her a full once over with a small smile from head to toe with what appears to be lust in his eyes if she didn’t know any better, and then looks over to where she assumes is the kitchen.

“I need a drink.”

He walks off without another word as Davos approaches her slowly where she is standing frozen in fear of how he would take the news, which thankfully was better than she thought. For now.

“Well, let’s give the lad a few minutes to adjust to your news while I show you around. And then we can all sit down and have a much-needed conversation about what the bloody hell is going on, yeah?”

Arya agrees as her eyes trail to the wall Gendry just disappeared behind, “It’s good to see you, Davos, it’s been too long.”

“Aye, that it has. Come dear, let me give you the grand tour.”

He shows her around the part of the house they are currently occupying before they step outside to a small opening in between wings of the house. She notices key-pad locks on every door as they walk around the deep inground pool to the next glass door on a separate part of the house. 

“Here is the east wing, it has a fully equipped gym, two guest bedrooms upstairs with their own loo, an armory that is secured with a second security system, and Gendry’s bedroom on the far end.”

“What’s that door go to?” Arya says pointing to a door at the end of the hall as she watches Davos’ face scrunch in confusion.

“I’m not sure actually, must be something new the boy is working on.”

The don’t go into any of the rooms as he points them out and she wonders if she’ll learn any of the codes while she’s here as if she couldn’t hack them if she needed to. They make their way to the back of the house where a large and wide deck sits, complete with a burn pit and a patio table with chairs overlooking the mountain in the distance. The moon lights up the entire space of distance where the land meets the mountain and she can see a million stars twinkling in the purple night sky above as the wind ruffles her short brown hair.

“Here is the west wing.” Davos says as he steps inside first and holds the door open for Arya to enter behind him.

“Here we have two more guest rooms, a game room complete with a fully stocked bar, pool table, dart board. The works. The kitchen and a full dining room with another fully stocked bar and Gendry’s office.”

Arya stops for a moment, something rattling her mind since Gendry found out she is with the agency, “Davos, you were with Gendry then, right? When I left him, but you didn’t know it was me?”

Davos stops short as well and runs a hand through his short, balding grey hair, “Aye. Why do you ask?”

She plays with the sleeve of her jacket, not meeting his eyes, “What was it like? You know, what was he like, when he got back? You said he drank a lot?”

Davos seems to take her question seriously as he searches his mind for the right words to use, “In all honesty, dear, he was a wreck. He barely ate or slept, and when he did sleep, it was only because he drank himself to it. I’ve never seen the boy so down. He never told me what happened, but I assumed it was heartbreak. Towards the end of those dark days, he finally started to open up and he told me he met someone that changed his life and that it ended before it began. It took me three months to get him back to his old self again, and even then, I saw a change in him, and I knew he’d never be the same.”

Arya begins walking again, not having anything to say to that, she can’t, because she made him that way. It was all on her.

Davos interrupts her thoughts, “That is, until I saw him with you here tonight. I saw the light back in his eyes, the bright and happy one that left along with you from his life. It was like he was himself again. And that makes me happy beyond words, for you both.”

He leans over and kisses the top of her head while wrapping his arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer to his side. Davos has been such a big part of her life ever since her family died, and she feels like she can call him family. She hopes to be able to have a chance to get that back one day.

They round the corner to the kitchen where Gendry is standing at the small island in the middle, fingers tapping nervously on the counter top.

“You alright there, son?”

“Aye. Just needed a bloody drink.” She watches as he downs the rest of the glass and then pours more from the almost half empty bottle.

He starts to walk away from said bottle until he thinks better of it.

“Ah, fuck it.” He takes the entire bottle and his glass with him to the open living room area adorned with white couches, a glass coffee table and a huge fireplace on the back wall in between the doors leading to the patio.

Arya takes a seat on the chair in front of the fireplace in between in each couch as Davos and Gendry both take a seat on opposite sides of each other, Gendry on her left and Davos on her right.

They sit in awkward silence for a few minutes, the only noise in the room coming from Gendry drinking his bourbon while keeping his eyes glued to the floor and their heavy breathing.

Her patience has completely worn out as she releases a heavy sigh and almost yells at him, “Oh, come out with it you, stubborn bull, I know you have plenty to say!”

Gendry takes a chance to look over at grey stormy eyes, “Why did you leave, Arya? And no more lies and secrets, I’m fucking _done_ with it all.”

She keeps her eyes locked on his now dark blue, tears threatening to form in her own, “Because Melisandre told me she’d kill you if I didn’t.”

Davos nearly jumps off the couch at her confession, “She did what now?!”

Arya looks at the older man but says nothing as he relaxes slightly at her sincere honesty and then looks at the bottle on the table.

“Right, I think we’re going to need a couple more glasses for this conversation.”

He gets up to retrieve two more glasses from the kitchen for him and Arya as she finds her eyes fixed on Gendry’s once more.

The silence is deafening as the tension rises, laced with words she’s too afraid to say. Davos returns then and pours a drink for him and then one for Arya as she downs it quickly and then asks for another.

With drinks in hands, they all relax into their respective seats waiting for one another to be the first to break the silence.

Surprisingly it’s Gendry to speak first and he’s not holding back, which both relieves and scares Arya at the same time as she watches him jump up from his seat to stand right in front of her, “Why the _fuck_ did you let her do that? You could have told her to fuck off and then come and tell me the truth and we could have figured it out together. I would have understood, because _hello_ …” he pauses to look around the room and hold his arms out for emphasis, “I was a fucking agent too!”

He’s pissed, just like she knew he would be, “You fucking _ghosted_ me, Arya!”

And now she’s pissed because he wants to stand here and berate her for not telling him the truth, when in reality he was keeping the same exact lie she did. Her anger is starting to match his as she stands up suddenly, forcing him to take a step back so she can be just inches away, chest to chest almost touching, “Tell you the truth?! That’s fucking rich coming from _you_ who kept the same god damn secret from me. Why didn’t you just tell me who you really were, instead of coming up with the bullshit mechanic story, huh?” She so close to him now and she can feel the heat and anger pulsate throughout his entire body, he smells like bourbon and smoky wood from their time on the boat, and yet still so _Gendry_ and it’s intoxicating. 

If she keeps standing here so close to him like this, she’s sure to get drunk off his scent alone faster than all the bourbon in this house.

Davos senses a breaking point between the two, so he stands up to calmly intervene, “Let’s just take a breath, alright, kids? Just sit down and let’s sort this whole thing out like mature adults, shall we?”

His gentle voice and all-around calming nature seems to make some of the tension dissipate, as they both reluctantly sit back down, albeit angrily with both arms crosses over their chests in sheer defiance. She’s not about to get all the blame for all that’s happened.

Gendry looks at her with fire in his eyes, demanding the truth, “So out with it, I want the full story, start from the very beginning.”

Arya raises her signature eyebrow, amusement laced on her features, “The very beginning?”

Gendry looks back at her as if it was a rhetorical question prompting her to continue, “Well I suppose I don’t remember that much, it was quite dark and probably very red and messy and I imagined I screamed a lot, which didn’t make my mum very happy…”

Her attempt to lighten the mood causes an amused chuckle to come from Davos while Gendry only scowls at her in return, albeit a little more relaxed than before, “Stop with the bloody jokes, Arya. This is serious, we can’t help each other if we’re not honest from this point forward. It’s the only way.”

She sighs knowing he’s right and then looks over at Davos for an opening and a good place to start.

Davos sits forward on the couch and rests his arms on both knees, drink still in hand, “You know of what happened to the Stark family?” He continues when Gendry shakes his head in confirmation but Arya cuts in before he has the chance.

“After my family died, we were to live with my Uncle Benjen. Everything seemed to be getting back to normal apart from Bran needing to adjust to life bound to a wheelchair. I watched as everyone moved on, talked about them less and less. I couldn’t do it, it was too much, too painful. One day after school while I was waiting for Sansa’s cheer practice to end, her friends found me and started their usual taunting. I had learned to ignore them long ago, but that time was different. They kept with their usual antics of calling me a boy, but then they said that my family would still be here had I not been such a little brat at my water dancing class.”

Arya wipes away a tear at the memory, “Which you already know what I think about that, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I left. I ran as fast and as far as I could. I made it all the way to King’s Landing and was living in different shelters every night. I cut my hair off so no one would recognize me. When someone tried to intervene or help, I just ran from them. I’d have to steal food and sleep under the bridge at the park when it rained if the shelter was full, but I wasn’t going back. I know they searched for me for a long time.”

Gendry keeps his eyes fixed on hers as she tells the story of how she came to be an agent for MI6. Arya has never talked about this part of her life, to anyone and he’s the one she would tell it to. She feels as if a weight has been lifted from her body, something she’s been carrying around for so long now.

“It was about a year after I ran away when Davos found me on the street one day stealing from a hot dog cart and he knew who I was instantly.” She looks over at the man as she continues, “He was nice and patient and spoke to me as if I were someone much older and not a little girl pretending to be a boy and a nobody. Do you remember what you said to me that day?”

Davos smiles fondly at the memory, “I asked you if you wanted me to take you back home to your family in Winterfell and when you refused and started to run away I stopped you and then I asked you what it was that you wanted to do with your life. You said you wanted to help people who couldn’t help themselves and make the bad people pay. So, then I told you of a place that could help you do just that. A place that could make you strong enough to change the world. You smiled and took my hand and I brought you back with me to the agency. To Melisandre.” His smile falls at the mention of _her_ name.

Gendry looks taken back at the sudden realization that hits him, “You’ve been with the agency since you were a _child_?”

Arya looks at him without emotion and then continues with her tale, “Yes.”

“I was thirteen when I joined MI6 with Davos’ help. Only he, Stannis, and Melisandre knew my real identity. They weren’t going to force me to go home if I didn’t want too, therefore they kept me hidden for my own protection and personal convenience. I was very grateful because I got to live the way I wanted while helping people. I trained for three years in peace and learned everything from how to shoot and use every type of gun and sword made by man. I learned new languages and…” She hesitates, knowing that her other skills she learned while training are relevant to her story and have everything to do with why her former boss wants her dead.

Gendry senses her nervousness, “What is it Arya? What did they have you do?”

“It wasn’t something I was supposed to learn really, but I was itching to try something different, to learn something new, so I asked Mel about it one day and she gave me a computer that some of the other older intelligence recruits were trying to hack into as part of their training. It was supposed to be the hardest one she’s ever used in a training classes during her years with Stannis at the agency. I cracked it in less than five minutes. I just had a gift, I guess. And she took that certain skillset and used to her advantage, but I’ll explain more on that later.”

Arya takes another drink before continuing, “Anyway, I trained for almost three years before she sent me to Braavos to go under with Jaqen and The Faceless Men. She told me the skills I would learn with them would be crucial to my work with her in taking down terrorist groups and corrupt politicians around the world. All the while I was to give her intel on Jaqen and how his operation works and when the time was right, he would be stopped for good.”

“I was under with The Faceless Men and feeding intel to MI6 for almost three years when I met you in Naath.” She looks over at Gendry who appears emotionless and hopes his anger has dissipated some.

Davos sits up, now very interested in the part of the story that he doesn’t know, “How did you meet anyway? A mission in Naath was never in your record, Arya.”

“That’s the way I wanted it. My time with Jaqen was long and had enough comfort-ability for him to trust me enough to have some _time off_ and I never reported it to Stannis or Mel when I left or told anyone where I was going. Hell, I didn’t even know where I was going until I got there. I just wanted to not be _me_ for a while. I was there for two and a half months when I met Gendry. After our time together…”

She trails off again and feels the blush creep into her cheeks and warm the back of her neck, “I didn’t want to go back, I wanted to give it all up and just have a normal life again. Turns out normal wasn’t an option for either of us.”

Davos smiles and releases a breathy laugh, “Sounds more like _fate_ if you ask me.”

Gendry and Arya both blush profusely and then say in unison, “We didn’t ask you,” which in turn only makes Davos laugh harder, “My point exactly.”

Arya takes a drink, trying her best not to let her smile show, “Melisandre didn’t see it that way. She found out somehow and paid me a visit the night I left. She drugged Missandei and Grey with a sleep sedative so she could sneak in and out without anyone ever knowing she was there. She said that my work was important and that I didn’t need any distractions and to leave at once or she would put an _end_ to said distraction.”

Gendry looks at her, “Did Missandei know the truth about you?”

“No. She knew the same as you and everyone else I met in Naath during those three months. Does Grey and Missandei know the truth of you?”

Gendry thinks a moment before speaking, “Grey is my best mate, he’s always known. I told Missandei at the wedding. She understood why I had to lie, but I still don’t understand why you couldn’t have at least made up some bullshit story instead of leaving without a word. Hell, you didn’t even have to leave at all!”

She looks at Gendry and feels her anger start to rise again, “Of course I had to leave! I thought you were just a bastard mechanic; she gave me no indication that you were one of her agents. I thought you were an innocent civilian, what else was I supposed to do?!”

He’s yelling again, “You could have told me the fucking truth!”

Davos yells over him, “Stop it, boy! There’s time for that conversation later, preferably while I am not here, what we need to know now is why she wants Arya dead.”

“After I left Naath all those years ago, I went back to life as normal, well to what normal was for me. Years had passed, and I never brought it up again. I hated her after that, and I wanted her dead for threatening your life.” She sees Gendry smiles slightly at that.  


“So just a little over a year ago, I gave her what I thought was the final piece to taking down Jaqen’s group but she, yet again, just brushed me off and said it wasn’t time yet. Years and years of Intel and leads were going nowhere, and I started to feel useless, like I wasn’t doing enough. But then the more I thought I about it, the idea occurred to me that it might not have been _me_ that was the problem, so I started looking into _her_.”

She stops herself and pours more amber liquid into her empty glass, “You both realize that if I finish this conversation you’ll be in just as deep as me and if she finds out, she won’t hesitate to end us all.”

Gendry leans over and lays a hand on her knee, giving it a gentle squeeze, “We can handle ourselves and I’m not letting you go through this alone. Not anymore.”

She gives him a sad smile and takes a deep breath, “After looking into every aspect of her time at the agency, which to me is still so fucked up that Stannis even brought her on at all, I mean she was his _mistress_ and his family just died, that’s so fucked…” She gasps for air after talking in one long breath.

Davos and Gendry laugh, “We know what you mean dear, but that conversation is for another time and is going to require something stronger than bourbon.”

“Anyway, I found out that she was just using me to get what she wanted, which was _power_ , and boy did I give it to her.” She takes another drink, hot angry tears now blinding her. She wants to punch something and hopes Gendry has a bag in that fancy gym of his.

“Every crime organization, every terrorist group I thought I was bringing to an end for the greater good, I was only handing over to her. She took control and continued their work. Everything from drug smuggling, to human trafficking was all now being done by her and Stannis. I fed the monsters.”

She can no longer hold back the tears, so she lets them fall freely and then wipes them away with her sleeve.

“After I found this out, I knew I had to stop her somehow and then I remembered a computer I built for her back during my training. She said it was to keep track and coordinate all the great work I was doing, but then I figured out it was where she kept everything. Everything that links her to every crime organization in the country. I knew that was my in and my _only_ way in.”

Davos and Gendry share a confused look and then focus their attention back to Arya.

“I built something, a virus made specific to that computer that would, when given the final code, release all of its contents to every media outlet and government agency around the world.”

“She found out what I was doing before I could finish it and sent in a team to capture me at the warehouse I was working out of. I assume she told this team I would be a prisoner, but I have no doubt once she had me, I would be executed that night. I managed to get out of there unharmed and take the flash drive containing the virus with me.”

Gendry puts a hand over his mouth as his eyes go wide and his face turns pale, “I was on that team, my partner died that night and I _blamed you_ for it. I left the agency after that; I just couldn’t deal the bloodshed anymore.”

Arya looks at him, a desperate plea in her expression to let him know she’s sorry, “I didn’t intend for anyone to get hurt that night, I just needed time to get away. I’m sorry, Gendry.”

Davos tries to change the subject before they dwell on that tragedy for too long, “What happened next Arya?”

“I snuck into Mel’s office later that night and tried to execute the virus but then Stannis walked in and caught me right before I put in the final code. The virus stayed but the remaining codes to finish it stayed on the drive I took. I ran, and I assumed that’s when they put out the kill order on my life. They’d rather have the virus in _limbo_ on the system than risk me getting another chance to take them down. I’m the only one that can delete the virus or finish what I started, no one else. I’ve been running ever since that night.”

She sighs with relief that she doesn’t have to bear this secret alone anymore, “After I ran, I knew something needed to be done, so I gave Davos the anonymous tip needed to take down The Faceless Men once and for all.”

Davos looks at her with surprise and adoration, “That was you? My gods. I should have, I wish I would have known. After Jaqen H’ghar was executed, I assumed you would return back to the agency as a full -time agent and when you didn’t, I thought you went rouge. I asked Stannis and Melisandre numerous times what was being down to ensure your return and safety. The only response I got was that it was being taken care of. I’m so sorry, Arya. I never should have doubted your honor.”

They embrace in a warm hug; Arya never blamed Davos for anything, he was the only one she could trust to do what needed to be done.

He releases her from his arms as he sits back down, “I grew tired of that answer, so I tracked down an old _friend_ …” he says looking at Gendry, “that I knew had a new profession in tracking down people that were hard to find. I had no idea you two already knew each other.”

“I knew that while you were _away_ you would be looking for the last person on your list, so I tracked down Meryn Trant and arranged for him to be at Gentleman Jack’s the night I sent Gendry to find you. The informant you met on the pier that day was one of mine.”

Arya sighs again, everything suddenly clicking into place, “But you didn’t tell Gendry who I was, you lied to him.”

Gendry looks at the old man then, “Yeah, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wasn’t sure the details of everything that had been happening with our directors therefore it was a necessary precaution to ensure both of your safety, but I knew you would find her regardless of whether or not you knew what she looked like. I guess lying to keep you both safe was a little futile, huh?”

Arya smiles, “Yeah, I shot him.”

Gendry laughs, “And then I took a bullet for her.”

Davos shakes his head in disbelief, “What am I going to do with you two?”

“How are you, son?”

Gendry relaxes while rubbing his injured arm, “I’ll be fine. After Arya shot me…”

She interrupts to correct him, “ _Grazed_.”

He smiles at her correction, “After Arya _grazed_ me in Highgarden, I was summoned to meet with an old friend of yours, Olenna Tyrell. She told me where Arya was headed. She sends her love to you Davos.”

Before he can respond, Arya’s eyes widen in excitement, “You met _the_ Olenna Tyrell?! She’s a freaking legend!”

Davos and Gendry both laugh at her very giddy fan girl moment, “Yes I did, and she lent me her private jet to Naath to find you, from there I pretty much knew where to find you on my own. We were ambushed by Gregor Clegane and his trigger-happy finger. I was hit shielding Arya from the rain of bullets he dropped on us and then she threw a knife in his throat. We managed to avoid prying eyes long enough to catch a boat from a friend of hers to make it back here.”

Gendry turns to Arya then with something plaguing his mind, “If Davos hadn’t sent me to find you, what was your next step?”

Arya pauses, unsure if she wants to tell him, “Well without going into details, I was going to draw Melisandre out by using myself as bait, get her out in the open and confess everything.”

Gendry stands up, fury returning like a hot flame, “What the fuck, Arya? You could have been dead in an instant; do you realize that?”

Arya stands up, “Of course I know that you stupid bull, but no one else knows the real them, it’s all on me, I can’t let anyone else get hurt or suffer because of them, because of the power I gave them.”

“It’s not happening. Forget it. I’d rather _die_ than let her get anywhere near you again.” He says with angry hot tears behind his blue eyes and a cracked voice before he storms off to the west wing of the house.

Arya jumps up after him, “Gendry!”

“Let him be, Ms. Stark. He just needs some time to take everything in.”

Arya smiles at him before sitting back down in her chair, “Can you do me a favor? The ambush was in Naath, at the bar I met Gendry that belongs to people close to me, close to us, can you make sure they’re protected from Mel and Stannis? I believe they’re in The Iron Islands.”

“Certainly, I’ll make sure of it.” Arya relaxes back into her seat as she watches Gendry pace back and forth outside by the pool that separates the west wing with the main house.

Davos follows him outside, and she watches as they disappear on the other side of the house where she knows his bedroom is.

She decides to take the time to get a good look around the place as she makes her way to the kitchen. An open floor plan with a small island with a stove top in the middle. She sets her glass down and then leans on the counter getting lost in her own thoughts.

Gendry finally knows the truth, the whole truth, but she can’t help but wonder if this sets them back even further from their already strained relationship.

Davos returns several minutes later, “He’s had a lot to drink and needs some time to reel from everything he’s learned tonight, I forced him to get some sleep and told him I’d make sure you were set up in the guest room I prepared for you earlier today.”

Arya smiles, “Thanks, Davos.”

She lets him lead her to the west wing of the house and then upstairs to one of the guest rooms.

“I have to get going, but I’ll check back in tomorrow and maybe stop by if I need to. Stay safe, kid.”

She watches him walk back down the hall but them stops him abruptly, “Davos, wait! I need the door code.”

Davos smiles, “Of course, it’s 4212014.”

Arya laughs loudly, making Davos jump at the noise bouncing off the walls, “Something funny?”

Arya leans her head against the door frame, “That’s the day we met.”

Davos smiles, “Ah. Maybe there’s hope for you two yet. Goodnight Ms. Stark.”

She can’t hide her smile, nor does she want too.

“Yeah, maybe. Goodnight Davos.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any one wondered about where I got that date/key code from it's the day 8x02 aired, minus the year. ♥


	15. I've Still Got Your Face Painted On My Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s looking at her like she’s the most precious thing in the world and if at any moment, she’ll disappear right before his eyes. Her heart clenches at what that must feel like for him, to not know whether she’ll run again, but she’s determined to let him know right now that that will never happen again.
> 
> Painted On My Heart by The Cult 
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to @Valsore, Happy Birthday beautiful, I love you! ♥

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're welcome.

Present Day- Safe House- Blackhaven

His mind ran a mile a minute and he couldn’t think straight. Surely, he heard Davos wrong and he didn’t just tell him that Arya Stark, known faceless assassin and murderer was in fact a special agent and operative of MI6. Arya looked at him expectedly waiting for a response and he had none. His mind was blank all except for her, every word, every touch flashing through his mind like a movie of memories on repeat. He couldn’t do anything except stand there and stare at her in disbelief.

All he knew in that moment was that he wanted to kiss her lips until they both passed out from lack of oxygen and that alcohol was very much needed.

Therefore, after hearing Davos refer to the woman he loved as a special agent, his brain could only focus on doing one of two things. The first being, throwing Arya down on that floor right then and there and being done with all the pent-up feelings and sexual tension that had been escalating for the past three days. Davos would have gotten the hint quickly and would have made a hastily exit and for sure have never brought it up again. He really, really liked that option. And the second, being that he needed the bottle of bourbon he knew was in the kitchen very badly. Reluctantly, he chose the latter.

He thought he had finally found a way to live without her invading his every thought and every dream every single night. He would be able to move on once and for all and leave all his feelings in the past where they belonged. It took him almost five years and he was almost there. Almost.

But then she blew back into his life like a damn tsunami itching to destroy everything and its path and he would surely let her without a doubt in his mind. He thought he knew Aryiana Rivers, save for the part of her that could break his heart so easily once again in the way she did once before and then he saw her on that pole in a not so desirable place three nights ago and everything he thought he knew was wrong when he discovered her true identity, or so he thought. Ariyana was Arya and Arya is, _was_ a faceless assassin seemingly without a shred of humanity behind those grey eyes. So once again, he thought he knew her, and then he didn’t and then he did, but then he didn’t and everything about her gave him whiplash and for some reason he felt the need to be a little bit more drunk in order to understand everything that way he could disregard the lies and learn the truth. But one thing he knew for sure was that whoever she was, he loved every part of her. Faceless assassin and all.

He was starting to get used to having her back in his life even if he despised her lifestyle and everything, he thought she stood for. And then he learned the actual truth he longed to hear since the moment he laid eyes on her again. Every detail, every missing piece that had been haunting him for the past five years and despite the need to kill the person tormenting the woman he loved, he was relieved. Relieved that he didn’t have to be ashamed of his feelings. Ashamed of loving someone he thought wasn’t capable of love, of loving someone he thought could kill people without remorse and no emotion. But that’s not who she is, she’s _good_. She’s on his side of what’s right in the world and he’s more in love with her than he’s ever been in his entire life.

It broke his heart to learn of how she became an MI6 agent and he wanted to take her in his arms and never let her go. But he knew better than that, he knew that she needed time to get her story out, one that he could tell she’s never said out loud before. He watched as she cried, as the pain poured out of her and he got the feeling that her body felt a little less heavy with each word she spoke.

He yelled at her reasoning and she yelled back as he expected her to and she was so damn infuriating and fucking beautiful it was hard to stay mad at her for too long. So, he stopped yelling and starting listening. His anger dissipated into a non-existent form of a new understanding for the person sitting next to him telling him her tragic life story.

Then something changed in him as she neared the end. She said that she was ready to sacrifice herself to finally put an end to the villain in her story and it made him see _red_. And moving furniture, but that’s beside the point. All the alcohol in the world couldn’t make him forget her. He knows because he’s tried countless times before. She was painted on his heart and etched into every fiber of his soul.

He’s never told Arya anything that he didn’t mean and he meant what he said when he told her he would rather die than to let Melisandre get anywhere near her again and his blood boiled at the thought of anyone harming her in any way, physically, mentally and emotionally.

The alcohol finally took its toll on his already fragile state and he needed air, he needed to breathe somewhere she wasn’t so he could think straight. If she followed him, then fine. He could finally do what he wanted to do when they first arrived at the safe house. He was done pretending to not be affected by her presence. The façade he put on at the hotel when he had to keep her hands bound so she wouldn’t run away was excruciatingly painful along with every moment in between. The only reason he didn’t tell her how he felt is because he thought she no longer felt the same way about him. At this point, he still doesn’t know what to think about what she feels for him and that’s something else he’s dying to know the truth about.

He remembers walking out as she called his name. He remembers Davos laying a comforting hand on his shoulder and ushering him to his bedroom. He vaguely remembers climbing into bed even though his brain was telling him to go find Arya and never let her out of his sight again.

He very clearly remembers Davos saying he would take care of Arya and make sure she was comfortable in the guest room which is why he didn’t fight him on that considering that’s all he’s wanted to do in his inebriated state was take care of her. As long as she was safe and warm and protected, he would be alright no matter what he endured to make sure it happened.

Without protest, he climbed into his bed and relinquished in the warm bed sheets calling his name. His eyes fluttered closed as thoughts of brown hair and grey eyes flooded his mind into what he hoped would be a peaceful slumber. Little did he know, that was something that would never come that night. 

_He stops suddenly and turns to face her, worry clear in his expression, “Are you sure you’re ready to do this? You haven’t seen your family in over a decade.”_

_She gives his hand she’s holding a reassuring squeeze, “Yes, I’m sure. I couldn’t do this without you by my side.”_

_She stands on her tiptoes to match as much of their height difference as she can and gives him a quick kiss on his lips._

_Instinctively, he traces his own lips with his fingers after she breaks contact and shivers at the missing warmth, not because he misses it like he normally does, but because it feels off, different somehow._

_He brushes off that feeling and counts it up to just nerves as Arya rings the doorbell to the Stark Estate in Winterfell._

_He feels her tense beside him as he leans down to whisper in her ear, “Relax, they’re going to be so happy to see you. I bet they planned something special for your homecoming.”_

_She smiles as Sansa Stark opens the large door._

_“Hello.” Arya says politely, unsure of any other greeting to the sister she abandoned all those years ago._

_Sansa smiles curtly, appearing almost robotic, “Hello. Come in.”_

_Gendry scrunches his face in confusion at the abnormally greeting between sisters who haven’t seen each other in over ten years._

_They walk in and head straight for the living room where the rest of her family sits._

_He notices what could only be Benjen Stark, Bran Stark in his wheelchair, and Jon Snow._

_They all sit down on various couches and chairs throughout the room as Gendry and Arya sit down on the small loveseat nearest to the door._

_Everyone is quiet and staring at them and its very eerie, giving him a bad feeling._

_Sansa is the first to break the silence as she stares Gendry down, obviously wanting an explanation, “I don’t understand what’s going on here. I thought you were bringing Arya home?”_

_Gendry keeps his gaze on the eldest Stark daughter, “What are you talking about? I did bring Arya home; she’s sitting right here. I know you haven’t seen each other since you were children, but I don’t believe she’s changed that much. Surely you still recognize her at least a little bit, right?”_

_Bran looks at Gendry and folds his hands in his lap and speaks as if he’s not really there, “Of course, we would. But that’s not our sister.”_

_He looks back at Arya who is sitting beside him as still as can be, face emotionless, and then back at her brother, “I assure you this is Arya Stark. She’s been through a lot since she left, but she wants her family back. She wants to know you all again.”_

_He watches as the Stark family looks between one another and then back at Gendry. It’s Arya’s uncle Benjen who speaks for the small group as he looks pointedly at the woman sitting next to him, “Are you going to tell him, or should we?”_

_Gendry looks at Arya as he notices her eyes are no longer grey, but rather blue, almost as blue as his own and panic soon starts to set in at what that could mean, “Tell me what, Arya? What the bloody hell is going on here?”_

_He turns back to look at her family but they’re suddenly alone in the cold room._

_He turns back to Arya, who is now holding a gun to his head._

_“Arya? What’s happening?”_

_She gives him a cold, dark smile, “You weren’t supposed to know. But I guess it can’t be helped.”_

_She scratches her neck just underneath her jaw while laughing and with one swift hand across her skin, it’s no longer Arya sitting next to him but rather Melisandre. Someone he thought was gone from this world, but apparently, he was wrong._

_He stands up then, anger rising and bile forming in his throat, “You’re not supposed to be here, Arya killed you!”_

_Blue meets blue, “Not exactly, dear child.”_

_Gendry feels his chest constrict at the realization of what it means for her to be here alive and wearing Arya’s face. He drops to his knees as tears stream out of his eyes and loud sobs rake through his chest, “What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?!”_

_Melisandre gives him a knowing smirk, confident that her plan worked out just as she hoped it would, “Arya is gone, I’m sorry Mr. Waters. It had to be done.”_

_“No, no it didn’t,” He finds the strength to rise from the ground only to stand face to face with the devil herself._

_“You might as well kill me too, then. Because I have no reason to live without her.”_

_“As you wish.”_

The last thing he hears is a loud gunshot sound before he’s jolted upright in his bed, sweat dripping down his forehead and stopping in his eye lashes and as the liquid drains down his cheeks, he’s not sure whether it’s the beads of sweat or his own tears.

He looks over at the clock on his night standing reading 4:03 AM and he sighs in defeat at knowing he must forgo getting any more sleep after the nightmare he just had, not wanting to chance having another.

He jumps out of bed, still wearing his same t-shirt and jeans, and throws on his boots as he heads for the door. He needs to get away, to clear his mind of that awful dream he had and think about what Arya’s confession means for their future, either as individuals or moving forward _together._ He hopes to all the gods in the sky it’s the latter.

He opens his door quickly and is surprised to find a familiar pair of grey eyes on the other side.

He jumps back startled, “Shit!”

Her shoulder length brown hair is messy, strands sticking out of place in the back and she’s wearing an over-sized and off shoulder beige wool sweater that goes down to her mid-thigh. She’s nursing a steaming mug of coffee and he wonders what the hell she is doing up at this hour.

He keeps her gaze as she looks down at the cup in her hands, “I, uh. I couldn’t sleep and heard noises from your room, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

He can’t be here right now, so he tries his hardest to not let her presence effect his plan to leave the house and go for a long ride through the city. 

He brushes past her almost rudely, shoulder bumping her arm as he moves to keep distance between them, “I’m going uh, out…, just stay here.”

He walks down the long hallway and through the door at the end that leads to his newly built garage. He grabs the keys off the wall for Arya’s ninja and a helmet from the shelf next to it.

He throws the helmet on and starts the bike quickly, leaving the garage before the door has a chance to open fully to the dark sky above.

He makes it down to the main highway in no time, letting the feel of the motorcycle under his fingertips give him the speed, and clarity he needs right now. The small city of Blackhaven is dead at this time of the night and he’s grateful for it, nothing stopping him from reaching the speeds he’s craving.

He’s doing one hundred miles per hour in speed zone of only fifty-five and it feels amazing.

He reaches the bridge at the edge of town and parks the bike on it while taking off his helmet and brushing his hair down with his hand as smooth as he can.

He needed this, the fresh air and quiet of the normal hustling city he’s come to know well since building his house here. Thoughts of Arya flood his mind once more and he buries his head in his hands and let his tears fall freely. Both for him, sadness and relief, and for her and what she’s been through and currently going through now that he can’t control.

He doesn’t know how to help her, how to save her without making the damage and repercussions worse. And it’s killing him inside.

****

She wasn’t expecting to get much sleep and she was right. After tossing and turning for hours, blue eyes plaguing her every thought, she finally just said fuck it and got up. She was tried of forcing something that would never come to be. Figuratively and literally.

She crept out of her room and made her way down to the kitchen, thankful she had some decent clothes to wear thanks to Davos, even if they were a little on the larger size.

After rummaging through every cabinet and the pantry, she finally found what she needed to make a fresh pot of coffee for herself and for Gendry if he happened to wake up to the smell. If she was honest with herself, she really hoped that would happen. Ever since he disappeared to the other side of the house with Davos, the desperate need to know what he thinks about her confession has been tormenting her, hence the lack of a proper night’s rest.

As she relaxes into the sofa with her steaming mug of fresh coffee, she hears a faint wail come from the other side of the house where she knows Gendry’s bedroom is located.

Mug still in hand she carefully makes her way through the house trying to locate the source of the sound she heard. She stands just in the hallway outside the door where she hears a quiet stirring on the other side, wondering if Gendry is awake or just having a bad dream, much like she did the previous night on Tormund’s boat.

Right as she’s about to put her ear to the door, it flies open and she’s met with the most beautiful blue eyes she knows she’ll ever see.

She notices he’s still fully dressed and now has shoes on, and she stammers out the reason for her sudden appearance outside his bedroom. He tells her he’s leaving, and she doesn’t get the chance for a proper response to that before he disappears, and she’s left alone. How fucking ironic.

She doesn’t know what to do, surely, she can’t go after him, he told her to stay put and she’s not about to leave him again if she can help it. She tried that already and failed miserably, so chancing it again is bound to be redundant.

She wants, no _needs_ to talk to him, to have a proper one on one conversation about everything that’s been revealed without the prying eyes and ears of Davos around.

If he returns the same way he left and she goes back into the living room to wait for him, she’ll miss him coming home. She’s confident he’ll be coming back through the same door he left through, so she slides down the wall to sit on the floor and wait for him while letting her coffee properly wake her up.

How long she sits there waiting, she doesn’t know. If he can be stubborn, then dammit, so can she.

Her mug of coffee is discarded on the floor, the hot liquid having been gone for quiet awhile now. _Maybe a short nap wouldn’t be too bad_ , she thinks to herself while leaning her head back against the wall and closing her eyes.

Her eyes only stay closed for a few seconds before she hears the door at the end of the hall open and Gendry appear from behind it.

He takes in her appearance and then sighs deeply, “What are you doing on the floor, Arya?”

She stands, heart thumping loudly in her ears, “I was waiting for you, I was worried. We should talk.”

He looks defeated, like he’s losing an internal battle within himself and he no longer has the strength to keep the fight up. He ignores her in favor of walking into his bedroom leaving his door open, knowing she’s sure to follow.

“Gendry, talk to me, please!”

He gives her a good once over before silently walking into his bathroom and then closing the door behind him.

***

Of course, she fucking stayed up and waited for him. She’s not making this easier for him to deal with. Whatever it is he’s dealing with; he doesn’t even fucking know anymore. If she doesn’t feel the same way that he feels for her, which he’s like 99% certain she does but he can never really tell with her anymore after the multitude of lies, then ignoring her to a certain degree and keeping things professional between them is the only way to go. But if she does and she admits it, well that’s a whole other path he’s more than willing to take.

He walks over to the sink and turns on the faucet with shaking hands, letting the cool water fill in his palms before splashing it on his face. He turns it off and leans against the sink, fists clenched on the ceramic tightly.

He hears her knock on the door but chooses to keep her away a little bit longer. He paces back and forth, heart hammering against his rib cage as his face contorts into a frown and he feels the need to release pent up frustration as his hand collides with the glass shower door behind him. He sits down on the closed toilet seat, putting his head in his hands as Arya’s gentle knocks turn into loud bangs, and he can’t fucking take it anymore.

He swings the door open angrily, not hiding his annoyance any longer, “Would you please fucking stop with that shit?”

She enters the room and then turns back to face him, “No! Not until you fucking talk to me!”

He leans his head against the door frame and sighs, “Fine, what do you want to talk about?” He pushes himself off the door as it slowly swings close with a quiet thump.

He takes her silence as fear as he looks at her up and down. She’s wearing the same thing she was when he left and his breath gets caught in his throat at how radiantly beautiful, she is, only this time, she’s a little more awake than she was earlier.

She bites her bottom lip and it takes all the self-control he has not to bite it for her.

“You can’t honestly stand there and tell me you have nothing to say about our conversation earlier. You wanted the truth and you got it.”

He stands there expecting her to continue, so he’s a little confused when she doesn’t, “And?”

She folds her arms across her chest and her sweater falls a little lower with the movement, “And I want to know how you feel about that.”

He’s pissed, and scared, and aroused, and everything in between. “As far as I’m concerned it doesn’t change anything. Melisandre is still after you and that’s something we need to deal with. I told you I would help you and I am; I’m not going back on that. Even if my bounty is no longer valid, she’s still a threat to us all and needs to be handled sooner rather than later.”

His fury starts to grow at the last thing she told him earlier, or rather last night, “And don’t even think about going after her on your own. There’s no reason to be a god damn martyr when you have people who want to help you! And it’s so god damn infuriating because you’re in this mess and in harm’s way every single day and I don’t know how to prevent that, I don’t know how to save you, especially when you won’t let me help you, Arya!”

She starts to match his anger, “So what, you’re keeping me hostage here and I can’t take care of my own mess on my fucking own? That’s not your choice to make for me, Gendry! I can take of myself! I just want…” She trails off biting her lip again and he’s about to fucking lose it.

“Christ, Arya, what do you fucking want?!”

“I want my fucking life back Gendry! I want this to be over and I want...”

He’s officially out of patience, it’s gone. He picks up the glass soap container on the sink and throws it against the wall watching as it shatters in pieces. Boy did that fucking feel good.

“And what?!”

“I want _you_ , you stupid bull-headed bastard! I love you and I want you to stop hating me for leaving you and…”

The words die in her throat as Gendry closes the distance between them, shoves her back against the wall and crashes his lips against hers, hard. As he feels her mouth open up to devour his for the taking, he grabs her ass and thrusts her up against the wall, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist and hold on to him for support.

With hearing her declare her feelings, telling him for a fact she felt the same, all self-control went out the fucking window and he couldn’t care less anymore.

His lips move from hers to down her neck, sucking and licking every inch his mouth can reach as she twists her fingers into his hair. One hand is caressing her waist while his other holds onto the fall for support. With every pull of his hair, his hips plunge into her center, his erection desperate for release under his jeans.

Her hands move from his hair down to underneath his shirt where it meets his waist and he shivers at contact, the touch of her skin on his. She lifts his shirt up over his head and throws it across the room. His lips find her neck and collarbone once more as she works to undo his belt and pull his jeans down his legs. He doesn’t dare lose the friction their bodies have created to step out of his jeans, for all he cares they can stay right there at his ankles.

Gendry grabs the bottom of her sweater and pulls it over her head before his mouth finds the object of their desire in her already plump and pink breasts. As his mouth works its way over her nipple, alternating between licking slowly and biting gently, his hand works its way down until it’s under the fabric at her hips and he can already feel how drenched she is for him. He moans into her neck as he slips a finger inside, guiding back and forth teasing the most sensitive part of her body as she cries out in pure ecstasy.

“Fuck, Arya. You’re so tight. _Fuuuckkkk_ …”

He slips another finger inside and curls them together making her squirm against his hand as she pulls at the elastic on his hips bringing it down just far enough to release his impatient cock.

He’s not wanting to take his time as he rips the fabric at Arya’s hips with a loud tear making her cry out in a load moan.

He drops the ripped lace to the floor as his lips find hers again. He shifts her position on the wall just a little bit higher as he grabs her thighs, spreading them out wide so she can take him fully inside her tight wet cunt.

He watches her pupils dilate with raw passion as he enters her _fast and hard_ , all the tension finally pouring out of him with every kiss, every touch, and every thrust of his body against hers.

She grabs onto his hair again as he grows impatient with pure unconditional desire, thrusting harder and harder until his cock reaches the deepest depths of her cunt. The sweat forming on both of their bodies is causing Arya to slide graciously against the tiled wall of the bathroom, neither one of them caring whatsoever. Her heels dig into his waist and his ass as he pumps in and out of her rapidly.

Their breath becomes labored as Gendry speeds up his pace causing Arya’s head to knock against the hard wall over and over again. With one more hard jolt of his cock inside her, he feels her thighs convulse and her cunt drip her orgasm down both of their legs as she rides out her mind numbing release against him and the sound that escapes her mouth is enough to send him over the edge with her. He thrusts into the back of her cunt forcefully and then holds himself steady there, spilling every drop of his seed inside her already dripping wet pussy until they both can come back down to Earth and regain some sense of control.

She holds her arms around his neck, burying her head into the crook where his neck meets his shoulder as their breathing evens back out.

He pulls back to stare into those grey eyes of hers and while he’s still inside her, albeit mostly limp now but not uncomfortable, he steps out of his discarded jeans around his ankles and carries both of their naked bodies into his bedroom.

Gendry pulls Arya’s body away from his where they are joined as one at their hips, releasing his cock from inside her as he throws her wet naked body softly down onto the bed.

***

She had expected a fight for sure, lots of yelling and the breaking of things maybe, but not this. Although a part of her wanted this to happen sooner rather than later. She was sure he felt the same way as she did even after all this time, but she was adamant with herself not to tell him that she still loved him until after he learned the whole truth about her and the situation she unwillingly dragged him into. So, she told him the truth, and then how she felt. Even though it came out in the heat of the moment, she doesn’t regret telling him those three little words, especially since it lead to him ravishing her body like his life depended on it and to him throwing her naked body down on his bed, giving her _that_ look.

He’s looking at her like she’s the most precious thing in the world and if at any moment, she’ll disappear right before his eyes. Her heart clenches at what that must feel like for him, to not know whether she’ll run again, but she’s determined to let him know right now that that will never happen again.

He sits gently down on her legs, with just enough pressure to make it comfortable enough for him to trace every inch of her skin with his fingertips, eyes trailing from her toes all the way up to meet blue with grey.

The way he looks right now, is absolutely mesmerizing, and she wonders for the second time in the past few days how she can possibly deserve his love. 

In her peripheral she can see the sun rising slowly behind the mountain outside of the glass wall in Gendry’s bedroom. If she was alone or he was asleep, she would take a moment to take in the scene before her, but she can’t tear her eyes away from his even for a second. He’s angelic and her heart is soaring with the love she’s longed to have back.

He takes his time with her, leaving trails of kisses down her neck, to her collarbone and then down to the scars on her stomach. She’s felt self-conscious about them before, but not now. Not as he tenderly traces the pattern on her skin and kisses every one of them slowly and passionately, his hot breath sending a chill down her spine and straight to her core.

She can feel his cock harden under his touch as he shifts his body downwards so his head his perfectly aligned with her hips. He looks up at her giving her a devilishly beautiful smile before his lips find her clit and he begins sucking slowly, making her pleasure agonizingly painful in the best way possible.

She grabs his shoulders and digs her nails into them, as her back arches and she release a load moan from deep within.

He continues the motions of making her thrash underneath him until it becomes almost unbearable.

“Gendry, _please_. I need you inside me.”

She entices him with a bite of her bottom lip, and she smiles in triumph when she sees him shift positions to hover over her while letting at a loud groan. That always does the trick.

He decides to tease her a little bit longer as he kisses her neck slowly, keeping his erect cock just at her center, tracing her folds slowly with the tip without actually entering her like she asked him to do.

She wraps her arms around his shoulders to bring his body closer to hers, patience ruining out, “ _Now_ , Gendry.”

With that, he enters her fully making her cry out, a shot of electricity coursing through her veins making it harder to breathe. He buries his face in the crook of her neck as he speeds up his pace, making each thrust deeper and deeper as she grabs the muscles on his back like a lifeline.

The pleasure he’s giving her brings tears to her eyes, both from raw passion and the love she feels for the man on top of her.

With tears threatening to fall she grabs each side of his face in her hands and whispers, “Come with me.”

They both let go at the same time as her thighs convulse around his, stilling their movements so he can come deep inside her as she struggles to regain control over her erratic breathing.

Once they’ve regained their barring’s, he pulls his body away from hers and grabs the sheets on his bed to tuck them both under warmly.

Arya lays her head on his chest and listens to his rapid heartbeat, wondering what it is he’s thinking about right now.

They lay there in content silence for a few minutes before she feels him pull the blanket back, uncovering his bare body and walk over to the dresser across the room.

“What are you doing?” She asks curiously.

She thinks he has something small in his hand as he joins her on the bed once more.

“I have something that belongs to you. Thought you might want it back.”

They’re both sitting up now as Gendry opens the palm of his hand to reveal the small blue braided bracelet that Rickon made for her when they were children.

Of course, he kept it all these years.

Tears pour out of her eyes before she even realizes it’s happening, “You saved it for me?”

He puts the bracelet around her wrist, “I was hoping I’d get the chance to return it to it’s rightful owner one day.”

“Well aren’t you the good Samaritan.” She says as they lay back against the pillows, her head resting on his shoulder as she holds her arm up to examine the bracelet adorning her wrist.

He kisses her temple, “I love you too, Arry. I never stopped.”

She looks up at him, more tears filling her grey eyes, “I’m sorry I left.”

He pulls her body closer to his, “I know. Just don’t let it happen again.”

She laughs beside him, “Is that an order, or a request?”

His amused expression sobers quickly, “More like a plea. If I lose you again, I don’t know what I’d do.”

She snuggles into his neck earning a tighter grip of his arms around her body, “I’m not going anywhere.”

They settle in to finally get some sleep just as the sun peaks over the horizon causing the room to brighten intensely, “Although I wish we could make the sun disappear right about now.”

Gendry reaches an arm over to his side table to grab a remote, “Your wish is my command, m’lady.”

He presses a button on the remote he’s holding as a layer of black comes down over the windows turning the room into complete darkness once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if you don't follow me on tumblr, here's what happened. I kinda had trouble with the beginning of this as I lost the almost 1k words I had in the first draft. But that's okay, because my muse never faltered and I got it worked out. I thought I would have to perfect this chapter more but I realized I was over-thinking it since this is the one I've been anticipating writing for so long. I want to say I'm done with the angst for a while but I don't know what the devil inside me will come up with later. Thanks for sticking this out with me. 
> 
> A couple Song nods:  
> Gendry waking up at 4:03- "If You Only Knew" by Shinedown  
> Gendry's speed on the bike through town- "100 In A 55" by Pop Evil


	16. Flex, Time To Impress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He makes no move to remove the shirt completely, therefore causing Arya’s impatience to wear thin.  
> She raises a single eyebrow in his direction, as if she’s silently telling him he better finish what he started.  
> He smiles darkly in return grabbing each half of his shirt at the bottom and tugging it slowly off his shoulders. She watches as his biceps flex at the movement and she subconsciously bites her lip again, thinking about touching every inch of muscle and running her fingers along every vein she can see.
> 
> "All In My Head (Flex)" by Fifth Harmony feat Fetty Wap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're some thirsty bitches and this is for every one of you. 
> 
> And for @whatmakesmebleed for her birthday today!! ♥
> 
> If you want references or visuals for this chapter, scour my tumblr under the same name or @fineosaur or anyone on there, trust me, we have an abundance.

Present Day: Safe House

Her body is acutely aware that the warmth of Gendry sleeping beside her is missing as she flutters her eyes open slowly to the sun shining brightly through his bedroom window.

She rolls over to find his spot on the bed next to her is cold and her mind drifts back to the morning they spent together. First in his bathroom, bodies tangled together in a mess of sweaty limbs on the wall to the gentle ways they showed their love in his bed soon after.

Her shoulders relax as the feeling of love spreads throughout her entire, somewhat achy, body from their sweet confessions of love and falling asleep together in what she can only call the best sleep she’s had in the past five years in the early morning hours of the day.

She assumes that it’s well past noon by now according to how high the sun is brightening up the mountains in the distant background of Gendry’s house.

Arya gets out of bed and makes her way back upstairs to her guest bedroom and gets dressed quickly in a plain black t-shirt and blue jean shorts, combing her ruffled sex hair hastily before searching out to see where Gendry has run off to.

She descends the staircase slowly, stretching out her back in the process when she spots him outside on the back patio.

The first thing she notices is the table set up with newly made sandwiches and fruit, assuming for their lunch when she woke. She also notices for the first time everything she couldn’t see the previous night when Davos gave her the grand tour in the dark.

She sees the patio table with chairs, along with a large grill facing the house as she noticed last night, but beyond that she notices the yard behind the patio is clad with large wooden boards with white targets painted on them with a lot of knife carvings scattered all over the planks, something she’ll definitely want to get a hands on experience with later.

As Gendry notices her presence and turns her way, her breath stops short at his appearance, because he looks _fucking good_ and a warmth spreads straight to her core.

Her eyes trails from his soft hair that she just wants to run her fingers through, down to his white button up dress shirt, rolled up to his elbows with a button or two undone at the top to reveal a little peak at the freckles on his chest. Freckles she wants to trace her tongue down, from the one on his cheek all the way down to the one beside his naval. She shivers at the thought, shaking the image out of her mind for the time being. She’s certain she’ll be doing that later today.

She notices his muscles bulging through his sleeves on his forearm and the way his veins highlight the muscles along his hands, hands that she would like to ravish and hold every inch of her body.

His white shirt is tucked into his belt holding his tight dark grey slacks, showing all the curves of his thighs and her brain starts to get fuzzy again. Damn him for looking this fucking good right now. Her eyes trail down to the dark dress shoes he’s wearing and damn it, if even his feet don’t look fucking good too.

He notices her staring as he plants the biggest shit eating grin across his face, “See something you like?”

She saunters over to him slowly, “Yes, in fact I do. This food looks _amazing_.”

She reaches him and smiles brightly, wrapping her arms around his neck as he laughs under her embrace. She’s getting light-headed being so close to him, between the look in his eyes and the way he smells, she could melt into him all over again.

He smells of leather, wood and jasmine, it’s subtle and sophisticated, yet raw and sensual and it makes her knees shake and a bolt of heat run straight to her deepest core causing a wetness to form in her lace underwear she has on. Fucking hell.

He leans down and kisses her lips passionately while sitting down into the chair at the table and bringing her down into his lap, all while never parting his mouth from hers.

They stop the kiss after a need for air as Arya leans her forehead against his, closing her eyes in sweet bliss.

His eyes are still closed as he whispers a soft good morning to the woman sitting in his lap.

Before she has a chance to respond, her stomach growls loudly which earns an amused laugh from Gendry.

He pushes her off his lap, urging her to take the chair next to his, “Come on, let’s eat before you to get too hangry.”

She mumbles a few words about something else he could _eat_ , which doesn’t go unheard from the way Gendry grins and the color changes in his cheeks to a light shade of pink.

They eat quickly and in a comfortable silence, neither wanting to disturb the peace of the soft breeze flowing through the midday air.

She pushes her empty plate to the side and then nods behind her in the direction of where the target boards are set up, “Hobby of yours?”

He laughs, looking over her shoulder, “Yeah, I suppose so. Practice, an outlet for anger, hobby, whatever.”

She stands up and walks toward the edge of the patio, the boards are set up about twelve feet out into the grass.

She eyes them curiously as Gendry takes a bucket out from a small opening underneath the brick wall the grill is built into.

It’s filled with different sizes and styles of knives and her eyes widen in excitement.

“Let’s see what you got, wolf.”

She grins at the nickname as she takes her favorite knives out of the pile and steps towards the first target. With three precise, quick throws they each land in the bullseye with a loud thump.

Gendry smiles at her and takes three more knives from the stack, “Not bad.”

He puts the knives in her hand as he pulls her shoulders back so that she’s now a few feet further from the second target.

Again, all three hit the center of the target with ease.

For the final board, Arya has something a little more brazen in mind. 

She takes three more knives and sets them on the ground in front of her feet as Gendry eyes her in confusion.

She watches his expression turn from confusion to lust as she removes the black shirt she’s wearing and then tie’s it around her head to cover her eyesight completely.

In absolute blindness, she picks the knives up off the floor and throws them one by one at the target, all landing in the center without fail.

She removes her shirt from her head and watches as Gendry closes the distance between them, crashing his lips against hers as if his life depends on it.

“You probably can’t tell, but I am so turned on right now.”

She breaks the kiss and pushes his chest playfully as she puts her shirt back on.

“Simmer down, stupid. I know _everything_ I do turns you on.”

He laughs and leans down to gently bite her earlobe, “Well you’re not wrong about that.”

His touch against the side of her head makes a chill run down her spine and heat pool low in her belly.

She wants him, that much is true, but she also doesn’t want to make it easy for him either. She wants to tease him, make him work for it. She loves watching him squirm and watch the fire in his eyes at the sight of her writhing underneath him.

She thinks back to the rest of the house Davos showed to her and then an idea forms in her mind as she grabs Gendry by the hand leading him inside, “Follow me.”

She leads him into the game room, as Davos called it, with the full bar, darts and pool table.

“How about a little wager?”

Gendry smiles while racking the balls together on the table, “What’d you have in mind?”

For her plan to work, she must go easy on him at first, “Twenty says I win.”

Gendry eyes her eagerness, “You don’t have any money, love.”

Arya thinks for a moment, “No, but I will soon enough. You can always pay me in other ways.”

Gendry smiles wide, eyes crinkling in the cute way she loves so much, “Alright, deal.”

He hands her a pool stick indicating for her to be the one to break.

She sets up her angle, giving her enough edge to break without revealing her true intention to lose this game. The truth is, Arya is insanely good at pool and he’ll realize just that when the time is right. For now, she’s adequate enough to pass for good, but not better than him.

The first game goes by at a slow, but content pace, with both of them sinking balls left and right, keeping neck and neck until they’re both left with one ball each and the eight ball.

Arya sinks her last ball easily but then misses her shot at the eight ball on purpose, leaving Gendry to sink both balls easily, winning the game.

“I believe you owe me some money, m’lady.”

Arya smiles devilishly, her plan running smooth as silk, “Re-match?”

He smiles as he racks the balls once more, “Double or nothing?”

Arya walks around the table slowly, trailing the side with her fingers, “I had something else in mind. For each ball either of us sinks, the other has to lose an article of clothing.”

His hands freeze on the rack he’s holding as he releases a deep groan, hanging his head at her suggestion.

She stops at the opposite end, arms spreading wide leaning against the table, “Unless you don’t think you can handle it.”

He regains his composure and finishes the task at hand, “Alright, Stark. You’re on.”

She grabs her stick and walks around to his side, “Lose the shoes, pretty boy, they don’t count.”

He laughs as he removes his shoes, revealing the black socks on his feet.

He backs up a few feet to give her some room and she lines up to make her move, sticking her ass out towards him for show, earning her a deep growl and a smack on said ass from Gendry.

She puts all her force into the break, sinking three balls at once, which luckily and with total randomness happens to be three solids, earning her an early lead.

She turns around to watch Gendry’s jaw drop in shock, eyes turning a dangerous shade of blue.

“Lose it, Waters.”

He laughs as he removes both socks, and then his belt, slowly, causing Arya to bite her bottom lip in anticipation.

“Why do I get the feeling I’ve been played just so you can get me naked?”

Arya shrugs her shoulders as she makes her next move, sinking nothing this time around despite her best efforts to strip Gendry of his clothing.

She sighs in defeat as Gendry’s eyes twinkle with amusement.

“You know I think we need some music to set the mood. Alexa, play Barry White.”

Alexa’s voices reverberates throughout the room, “Playing, Barry White on Spotify.”

Arya laughs as the familiar songs starts to play and Gendry begins dancing to the beat of the music while mouthing the lyrics to the song.He snaps his fingers and then spins on the balls of his feet around in a circle causing Arya to smile widely at his silliness.

****

_I've heard people say that_

_Too much of anything is not good for you, baby_

_Oh no, but I don't know about that…_

He spins around clearly enjoying himself as Arya’s body shakes with laughter at the sight of him.

She catches her breath long enough to yell, “Alexa, stop!”

The music stops playing as Arya points a finger at him, her smile never wavering, “Stop it, you’re distracting me.”

“Good.” He smiles mischievously back at her as he lines up his shot and sinks one ball in the side pocket.

Arya gives him a sarcastic grin as she removes her black t-shirt, once again revealing her white lace bra underneath, which does not go unnoticed and unappreciated by Gendry who makes his way over to her, attempting to have her half naked body in his arms.

She pushes him back, keeping him at arm’s length, “Oh no, you have to work for it. You’re not getting off that easy.”

“I won’t be _getting off at all_ , if you won’t let me touch you.” He crosses his arms across his chests and pouts like a toddler not getting his way.

She cocks her head to the side, “You have no patience, do you?”

He lines up to take his next shot and misses, “When it comes to you, _fuck no_ I don’t. I waited five years and I’m not waiting any more, ever again. I have lost time to make up for.”

Okay, that she can actually agree with, but she keeps her cool and focuses on the game rather than the fact she wants to fuck him on this pool table until it breaks. That still is an option with the way this current wager is going.

She steadies her hand, keeping her mind focused on the task of showing him just how good she is at this game and the fact that she took it easy on him during their first game. With a deep breath she pulls her arm back and releases the stick with precision, sinking two balls at once with a delicate maneuver she learned years ago.

“Fuckin’ hell, Arya! You hustled me!” His voice sounds slightly angry, but the smile on his face tells a different story.

She grins in triumph, as she leans back against the table anxious and prepared for his removal of more clothing. Her body starts to warm up at the sight and the wetness at her core is unmatched.

He narrows his eyes at her, grinning seductively as he slowly unbuttons his shirt, starting at the top and working his way down, never taking his eyes from hers.

He stops about halfway down and points to the watch on his wrist, “Wait, does this count?”

“No, keep going. I want to see those abs, bull.” She bites her bottom lip again, knowing that it drives Gendry crazy as he continues to unbutton his shirt, taking his sweet time, teasing her with the motions of his hands against his body. She wants to touch him so badly and it takes all her self-control not too. Damn him.

She watches the veins in his hands twitch with the motions, as he gets closer to the last button and then lets his hands fall to the side letting the material of his shirt hang loosely on his shoulders after pulling it out of his waistband, revealing the taunt muscles underneath.

He makes no move to remove the shirt completely, therefore causing Arya’s impatience to wear thin.

She raises a single eyebrow in his direction, as if she’s silently telling him he better finish what he started.

He smiles darkly in return grabbing each half of his shirt at the bottom and tugging it slowly off his shoulders. She watches as his biceps flex at the movement and she subconsciously bites her lip again, thinking about touching every inch of muscle and running her fingers along every vein she can see.

Gendry, now shirtless and wearing only his tight slacks, steps closer to Arya, leaning both arms against the table on either side of Arya, only inches away from her as she shivers at the heat radiating off them both at the close proximity.

He leans down to whisper, breath hot against her face, “Satisfied?”

She smiles, keeping the distance close, “Not quite. I made two remember?”

He closes his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers in defeat, “How come I have to be naked and you don’t?”

He takes a deep breath and steps a foot back from where Arya stands, “Because I’m winning, stupid.”

Once again, at an agonizingly slow pace, he begins unbuttoning his slacks and pulls down the zipper, “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

“Abso-fucking-lutley.” She says with a grin, eyes filled with lust, and love for the man she has stripping in front of her.

It takes a little more effort than it should to pull his pants down due to the shape of his thighs, the hard on he has and the tightness of the material on them. He gets them down to his ankles and then steps out of them, never breaking his gaze from Arya’s lingering eyes.

The only clothing left on Gendry’s body are the black boxer briefs, leaving almost nothing to the imagination according to how hard he has already gotten during their innocent little bet.

Arya eyes the bulge at his center, before meeting his eyes with her own, “Is that your gun, or are you just happy to see me?”

She brushes off any response as she grabs her pool stick ready to finish this since she wants him as much as he clearly wants her right now, “You do realize if I make this next shot, those are gone, and I win. Game over.”

She turns and bends her body down taking aim on the table, but before she can take her shot, she feels his warm and ready body press tightly against her back crushing her to the table like a magnet.

His hands trail her bare side from her shoulders down to her hips where his hands find something to hold tightly onto while he whispers in her ear, “You make this shot, we both win,” before biting her earlobe and then sucking gently on her pulse point.

He pulls his face back but keeps his body close to hers as she concentrates on making the last shot, she needs to have him fully naked and take her right then and there.

She tries to focus on anything but his hands on her body and his erection pushing against her ass, as she takes the shot and sinks another ball with ease.

She wants to scream in victory and call him out on losing, but she can’t. Any words she had ready to come out stop short as Gendry grabs her hips, pulling her back flush against his almost completely naked body. His left hand trails her chest, grabbing her bra laced breast with a hard squeeze while his right hand finds her throat turning her head just enough to ravish his mouth with her own.

With his hand still clutching her throat, his other hand trails down her body until it finds solace inside her blue jean shorts underneath both layers of fabric to her wet, pulsing need for him.

He removes his hand from her throat to unclasp her bra in the back, releasing her pink, flushed nipples to the cool open air of the room.

He grabs her now free breast and gives it another painfully pleasurable squeeze while she squirms underneath him, “Gendry, _fuck_.”

She feels him groan in her ear as his hand slips from the shorts she’s wearing, to pull down the only fabric he’s left wearing. With his temporary distraction, she takes the opportunity to rid herself of the same restriction.

She wants to turn around, she wants to take in the view of him naked and aroused by her, but Gendry only keeps her in place using his body behind her as he pushes her further into the table causing her to arch her back and bend her body out further for him to do with as he pleases.

With a fist full of her hair, he teases her pink swollen folds with the tip of his cock, sliding and grinding it against her core, but never fully giving in to what she’s craving.

“Fuck with the teasing. I _won_ , you owe me a debt, sir.”

She feels him laugh behind her as he fulfills her request for entrance, pumping his full erection deep inside her pulsing cunt, until he’s so deep that there’s nowhere else to go and she’s already seeing stars above.

The legs of the pool table shake violently with every single thrust and if it breaks, she could care less at the moment. She feels his hand roam over her back, and she knows he’s studying her tattoo he’s never seen before carefully. A new blush creeps up to her cheeks at the thought of explaining her inspiration behind that one, _him_. She loves him and he knows it, she’s just never been good at expressing it with words. Until now that is.

She tries, and fails, to grip the red felt of the table, as she nears her release and by the way of the friction of their bodies driving together over and over again and the sounds coming from deep within him, she knows he’s close too.

With one more hard thrust, her thighs convulse against the side of the table and his own, and before she knows it, he stills, still deep inside her as he drowns her pussy in his own orgasm.

Once they regain some sort of control over their bodies and their breathing, Gendry slips out of her and grabs the first thing he sees, Arya’s black t-shirt, to clean off the remnants of their releases from both their legs.

“Hey, I needed that!” She says as he wipes himself down before throwing the shirt by the door to grab to wash later.

She puts back on her discarded white lace underwear as he dresses himself once again with his boxer briefs and grey slacks.

“We’ll get you another. Maybe. I kind of like this look.” He waves his hand in the air indicting her prefers her half naked body to a fully clothed one.

As he slips his belt back around his waist, she grabs his white button up from the floor, throwing it on over her shoulders and only buttoning the bottom two buttons.

He smiles at her thievery, “Hey, I needed that!”

Clad in only his white shirt, she makes her way closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, “We’ll get you another. Maybe. I kind of like this look.” She mimics his words as she runs her hands over his firm chest muscles, biting her lip in the process and earning a low growl from deep within him.

He grabs her roaming hands quickly and pulls them behind her back with a firm grip while his lips demand the attention of her own.

She pulls her hands away from his and smiles up at him happily, “Come on, let’s see what other rooms we can have sex in.”

He laughs as he grabs their remaining clothes from the floor, “What are you trying to do? Mark your territory over inch of this place?”

She stops at the door and looks back at him, “Yes.”

He laughs as he grabs her by the hand and they make their way back through the main part of the house, stopping just outside in between wings where the inground pool waves its water in the blazing sun.

Gendry heads for the door to the east wing where his bedroom is located when Arya stops him mid-step with a firm grip on his forearm, “What’re you doing?”

He looks back at her with raised eyebrows, confusion clear in his expression, “I’m going to get a shirt.”

“No, that’s not allowed. No more shirts for you for the rest of the day,” she plays with the buttons on his white shirt she’s wearing, “Today is ‘Shirtless Gendry Day.’ I’m declaring it right here and now, it is known.”

He laughs lightly, stepping closer to pull her in a warm, but loose embrace, “Is that so?”

She clasps her hands behind his back, still keeping enough distance to get a good look at his bare chest, “Yes. Because if you’re wearing a stupid shirt, then I can’t do this…”

She kisses the freckle on his jaw with a feather light touch of her lips, before working her way down his collarbone to kiss every freckle aligned on his body, each kiss becoming stronger and harder with each one, eliciting a subtle groan from deep within the chest she’s ravishing with her mouth.

She feels his body tense as she gets lower and lower, licking and sucking the tiny little freckles on his body she loves so much that make him unique. Once she gets to the one parallel to his navel and just above his hip, she stills her movements long enough to meet the dangerous look in his eyes with her own.

She can see how hard he is for her according to the new tightness of his grey slacks and she smiles smugly at how easily she can make him that way with just a few kisses.

She stands up suddenly, abruptly putting an end to what her mouth is doing on his body and turns to find the nearest lounge chair by the pool, not missing the look on Gendry’s face at her sudden departure from his embrace.

The disappointment soon fades from his face and turns into something sinister as she watches him behind her, swinging her hips as she walks along the side of the pool.

“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that Stark!”

She has no time to respond before he quickly closes the new distance between them, grabbing her by the waist and tossing both of their half naked bodies into the glistening blue pool causing a large splash.

Still holding tightly onto Arya, they both emerge from under the water seconds later as Arya smacks the surface causing water to splash in his face, “The _fuck_ was that for, eh?”

He laughs at Arya’s fumbled attempt to annoy him, “That was for teasing me with your pretty little mouth. You’re lucky that’s all I did.”

She watches his eyes glaze over with pure lust and the water from the pool they’re in isn’t the only thing causing her wetness right now.

She pushes him until his back hits the edge and then she wraps her arms around his neck using his body as leverage to keep her from going under or having to kick to hold herself up.

“Oh yeah, what else would have done?” She knows the lust in her eyes matches his own as she challenges a response from him.

“Well for one, I’ve had enough of your teasing today. First with the knife throwing, which was totally fucking hot by the way, and then with your little hustle in our game after that.”

He moves his face to hover over her ear, “I’ll get my revenge, just you wait and see.”

She kisses his lips roughly, causing them both to moan at the sensation it causes.

She pulls back and removes his soaking button up shirt tossing it over by the door, leaving her in only her underwear in the water with him, and then kisses his lips again, albeit a little bit harder this time around.

She knows how hard he is, how ready he is for her, but when he pulls their lips apart and leans his forehead against hers, she looks at him and he almost seems sad.

He pulls back, and smiles sadly while his fingertips trace along her spine in the middle of her upper back, “Do you want to tell me about this?”

Her tattoo. She wasn’t trying to hide it, but the blush in her cheeks she definitely tries to hide as she turns her head to the side and gives him a shy smile in return.

“Was it for me?” His eyes lose the lust in his eyes if only slightly and replaced by it is a warm blue of adoration and unconditional love. That, she could never get enough of for as long as she lives. She shakes her head in confirmation, thinking back to the day she got it. She drew the art herself, a bull head intertwined with barbwire with flowers growing from the steel. Her bull. Her protection. His safety. Their love to grow out of the darkness one day.

He doesn’t ask any other questions as he finds her lips with his own once more.

This time, it’s Arya pulling back to ask about his tattoo.

“And these claw markings, were they for me?” She traces the claw marks running through the hammer above his heart. His heart marked by the she-wolf.

He nods and whispers I love you as she finds his lips again, begging for entrance with her tongue. As their kiss heats up exponentially, Gendry flips them around so that’s he crushing Arya against the side of the pool with his body. His hips jerk into hers reflexively and she can feel his rock-hard cock begging to be released from his pants.

As Arya goes to undo the button with shaky hands under the water, a familiar voice rings out through the house and they freeze instantly, his zipper already half-way down. They both stare at each other with wide fearful eyes as Davos appears on the other side of the glass wall in the living room.

He doesn’t see them yet and Gendry’s need to shield Arya from being seen naked by Davos kicks in as he spins her around and wraps his arms around her small frame, burying her into his chest making her as small as possible.

Davos opens the door and notices Gendry in the pool, seemingly alone, “Gendry? Where’s Arya?”

Gendry keeps his embrace on Arya tight as she holds up an arm to wave from the other side of him, her small arm being the only thing Davos can see of her. 

She laughs into his chest as she hears Davos clear his throat, obviously uncomfortable he walked in on something, “I… uh, I’ll just wait for you kids inside.”

Gendry looks down at Arya in his arms, water flowing easily between them, “Yeah, sure thing.”

As soon as Davos walks back inside and they hear the door click closed, they let out a loud fit of laughter from being caught. Almost caught, but pretty fucking close. 

Arya smiles at the man she loves, “Come on, let’s get dry, and then I’ll take care of that later.” Her eyes trail down for a millisecond to his crotch before she releases herself from his arms.

He drops his head in disappointment before following her out of the pool and then into the east wing of the house.

Arya heads upstairs to grab a change of clothes Davos provided for her upon her arrival. She opts for a pair of black leggings and one of Gendry’s shirts which she’ll need to retrieve downstairs in his bedroom.

She descends the stairs with a certain bounce her step, her heart and soul happier than they’ve been in a very long time.

She turns the corner at the end of the staircase in time to find Gendry walking out of his bedroom in a pair of sweatpants and a navy-blue V-neck.

She scowls and crosses her arms over her chest in defiance, “Why are you wearing a shirt?”

He waves his arms in the air at her shirtless appearance, “Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?!”

“I asked you first!”

Gendry is not amused she’s continuing her stance on the no shirt rule, “Because Davos is here!”

“So? It’s just Davos, I’m sure he’s seen you shirtless before.”

“Yeah, and?”

“And, Take. It. Off.” She emphasizes each word so he’s aware she’s not fucking around.

He groans, the corners of his mouth move upward in a small smile, although he tries to hide it as he strips off his t-shirt.

She grabs it immediately and throws it on, letting her wet hair fall freely on her shoulders.

“Happy?” He askes while crossing his arms over his bare chest in the same manner she just did.

She pulls the top of it to her nose and inhales his scent deeply, “Yes. It looks better on me anyway. This?” She motions to Gendry’s naked torso, “This is good.”

She inches towards him slowly, running her hands along the muscles on his chest while biting her bottom lip.

He removes her hands instantly and she pouts, “Let’s get rid of Davos quickly, I can’t have a hard on while talking to him.”

She laughs taking his hand and lets him lead her to the living room where the old man awaits.

They walk in to find Davos resting on the couch nearest to the kitchen, the same one that Gendry sat on while listening to her life story just last night.

“Ah, there you two are!”

“Hi Davos.” They say in unison sitting down on the opposite couch, scooching closer to each other as best they can. Arya rests her head on Gendry’s shoulder while he tangles their fingers together in his lap.

Davos smiles happily at the pair, “I’m glad to see you two worked everything out, I’m happy for you. And I uh, I’m sorry if I interrupted something earlier. And uh, son? Why are you not wearing a shirt?”

Gendry smirks at Arya and then at Davos shaking his head, “Don’t ask.”

Arya smiles politely, unaffected by the disturbance, “It’s alright. No harm done.”

Gendry leans down to whisper in her ear quietly, “Speak for yourself.”

She elbows him softly while laughing, before turning back to their visitor, “Ignore him, Davos. We’re always happy to see you.”

Davos leans up and rests his elbows on his knees, “I wish this were a simple social call, but I’m afraid we need to discuss our next move here. Arya, you’re still in danger and Melisandre is a clear threat to this country and needs to be dealt with.”

Arya sighs, “I know. And we’ll deal with her. But first there’s a few things I’m going to need first.”

She gets up to grab a legal pad and a pen from Gendry’s home office before returning to the living room.

She spends a minute or two writing down several locations and then sets of numbers and then sets of numbers and letters, passwords to said locations and a list of personal feminine products.

She hands the paper to Davos as she joins Gendry on the couch once more. He reads it over silently, eyes in full concentration.

“Seven bags located throughout Westeros, city and place and passwords are included. And a list of more _personal_ items I’ll be needing.”

He nods in understanding as she continues, “You did such a great job picking out things and clothes for me in the guest room, I didn’t think these would be a problem.”

Davos laughs as he pockets the note, “Well actually, I had a little help from my granddaughter, not too much older than Gendry is. I needed a woman’s opinion and she just kind of took over and helped me out big time. I’ll ask for her help again I suppose, if you don’t mind. I told her it was for someone in witness protection and she didn’t ask questions.”

Arya smiles, “Yes, that’s fine. Thank you again. How long do you suppose getting everything together will take?”

Davos stands up ready to head out the front door, “Judging by the locations, which aren’t exactly close, my dear. I’d say a few days at the least. I’ll try to be back with everything by the end of the week. If you need anything else in the meantime, don’t hesitate to call.”

Arya and Gendry stand then to walk with Davos to the door, each embracing him in a friendly hug and wishing him luck on Arya’s mission.

As soon as Davos is out the door, Gendry shuts and locks it and then slams Arya hard against it, lips on her neck instantly, sucking and biting like he’s drowning and she’s his only source of oxygen.

Arya cocks her head to the side to give him better access for just a minute before she wiggles from his grip on her thighs, “Follow me, let’s go make up for that lost time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of these days I'll actually have them waking up together. One day. 
> 
> Yay! for White Shirt Porn and Joe's character in Deep State. That costume department is fucking brilliant.


	17. No Matter What, I Got Your Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You want to infiltrate a highly secured with armed guards, government intelligence MI6 facility?”  
> A simmer of a pause, “Fuck it, I’m in.”
> 
> "No Matter What" By Papa Roach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Emmy's Day! Here's to a hopeful win for Maisie and a Joe/Maisie siting!

Present Day: Safe House

He couldn’t believe any of this was real, that he actually woke up with Arya naked in his arms, in his bed sheets. It was like a fantasy he’s longed for, a dream he wanted so badly to be his reality, and when he discovered it was in fact that, he had a hard time thinking it was possible, but then Arya scooted closer to him in her sleep and all thoughts of this _not_ being real escaped his body as they both sighed together in contentment.

He shuffled quietly out of bed, as to not disturb the she-wolf sleeping peacefully in the late morning hours. Once dressed, he headed to the kitchen knowing they needed sustenance as to survive the day ahead. Gendry didn’t have the slightest clue his day would go the way that it had. 

First with Arya’s undressing him with her eyes at his outfit he had chosen for the day, to her impressive knife throwing skills turning him into a giddy schoolboy, he felt like he was a teenager all over again falling in love for the first time. Although anything he had felt as a young adult about someone else was nothing compared to the feelings he had for Arya Stark. 

Then she decided to hustle him a game of pool and it took everything in him to even pretend to be mad at her for it in the slightest. If that’s how she wanted to get him naked, then he would oblige over and over and over again undoubtedly to her every command.

Between Arya’s insistent teasing and their almost tryst in the pool before getting caught by Davos, he found himself indulging in the belief that his life was finally falling back into place and all the heartache he endured over the last five years started to melt away with every kiss, every touch, every moan, and he never wanted this day or their solitary bliss together to end.

Davos’ presence, however, shifted him back to the part of their reality where the threat of Arya’s safety still hung in the balance, and he knew their happiness in the safe house together would soon come to an end, but luckily for them both, if only for a little while, Arya found a way to delay the inevitable just a little bit longer.

As soon as Davos is out the door, Gendry shuts and locks it and then slams Arya hard against it, lips on her neck instantly, sucking and biting like he’s drowning and she’s his only source of oxygen.

Arya cocks her head to the side to give him better access for just a minute before she wiggles from his grip on her thighs, “Follow me, let’s go make up for that lost time.”

He grabs her hand and then gives her a mock salute with his free one, “Yes, m’lady. Whatever you say.”

He lets her lead him through the house and to his bedroom, “How about a shower? I don’t want to smell like chlorine the rest of the day.”

He already knows the answer to the question on his mind, but he asks anyway, “Can I put on a shirt afterwards?”

She stops just before reaching the bedroom and turns back to look at him, amusement, yet seriousness plaguing her features, “No.”

Gendry laughs as he enters the room with Arya and then notices all the discarded clothes on the floor from their impromptu reunion against the tiled walls, becoming hard at just the memory of the early mornings hours they spent together, familiarity growing like wildfire as they caressed each other’s bodies, muscle memory never faltering for a moment.

He turns on the shower, letting the cold water run through his hand as it gradually gets warmer as Arya starts to collect the clothing from the floor, grabbing his jeans he discarded in a frenzy, leaving his keys, and wallet in the pockets. He didn’t think to get them out any sooner than now, as he has no use for them at the moment.

A soft thump of something falling to the ground sends his mind to the present as he turns and watches Arya pick up his black leather wallet from the linoleum floor, something light and small falling out with it, slipping from her hand.

He notices what slipped from the leather material as his heart begins to pick up it’s rhythm. He almost forgot it was even in there, something so insignificant after having the real thing within his grasp after all this time.

“What’s this?”

Arya holds up the small worn out picture that he took of her the morning after the night they first met, a picture she thought to have deleted from his phone without realizing he was a spy and had back-ups of his back-ups, the edges discolored from constant handling over the years as he would hold it in his hands anytime he would have her on his mind, which was fairly often. He longed to have the real thing again one day and deep down, he never really gave up hope, a constant battle with the rationality in his mind versus the love in his heart.

He braces himself for her anger, but only gets a small laugh in response.

“Of course, you still had this. And I assume all the others I tried to delete as well? Let me guess, a back-up copy, of your phone on your home laptop or other devices?”

She holds the picture in a shaky hand, tears brimming in her grey eyes as he approaches her slowly, wrapping his arms around her small waist, “Once a spy, right?”

He kisses the top of her head, “I never stopped thinking about you, Arry. I missed you every day. That picture helped keep me sane, believe or not.”

“I know the feeling. I thought I saw you once, in a crowd of strangers, I got hurt very badly because of it.”

His heart sinks as he realizes just how bad she was hurt because of him, “Did it cause these?”

He trails his fingers under his shirt she’s wearing, over the long scars across the side of her stomach. She says nothing, only the look in her eyes confirming the answer he feared.

He takes the picture from her hand and lays it on the counter-top, before his hands lift his shirt off her body, sinking to his knees to let his lips roam over the disfigured flesh sending a chill down his spine.

He whispers gently against her shivering body, “I can promise you this right now, I will never let anyone else hurt you, not while there is still life left in me.”

She leans her head down to gaze into the wetness clouding his blue eyes, hands holding either side of his face, “I know.”

She brings his face back up to meet hers in a sweet kiss before pulling back and resting her forehead against his, “I love you.”

With those three little words, all thoughts of retribution and teasing fly out the window, he’d do anything for her and they both know it, “I love you too.”

They waste no time in ridding themselves of their clothing before getting into the hot shower, Gendry immediately pushing her up against the glass door, trailing her body with wet kisses.

Her fingers find his hair, holding on tight while his mouth finds her eager clit, tracing over her swollen folds with ease.

A soft moan escapes her lips and he smiles, face centered at her core, “Fuck.”

He brings his body back to normal level, his hands finding her slick lower back, pulling her body flush against his engorged erection.

She moans into his touch as he grabs her knee and pulls it to rest at his side just under his arm as he enters her swiftly, ultimately causing his eyes to close and a low growl of his own to escape.

With every thrust, he feels like he could come apart at any moment and when Arya bites his bottom lip, his thrusts become more frantic, impatiently chasing that sweet relief they both long for.

They come together under the streaming flow of the shower, Arya’s thigh convulsing in his hand as he empties his orgasm deep inside of her, the remnants falling out of her center as he pulls himself out of her slowly.

As he helps her wash her body and shampoo her hair, he feels as if a wave of a storm is brewing over them, neither wanting to acknowledge what is going to happen next with the looming threat that hangs in the midst of their reunion.

***

The next week flies by quickly and is filled with more love than either of them knows what to do with. Making up for lost time has never been sweeter and Arya has never been happier in her entire life.

Reality starts to kick in though when Gendry receives a text message from Davos early in the morning letting them know of his impending arrival with Arya’s things later in the day, just five days since she sent him on his mission of retrieving the things she’ll need in the coming days.

She listens as he reads the new text out loud, a confirmation of his arrival in less than ten minutes as they sit lazily across the couch in the living room in the cloudy late afternoon, wrapped in each other’s arms.

She feels him stiffen subtly as he sets his phone back down on the coffee table, “I know. I’m anxious too.”

He kisses her temple, “This has been the best week of my life, am I wrong to want to tell Davos to fuck off so we can make it last just a little bit longer?”

She smiles but it barely reaches her eyes, “One, that would be rude.”

She sits up and faces him, her body still wedged in between his legs sprawled out on the couch, “And two, we can’t avoid the inevitable forever, Gendry. This has been my life for the past year, and I need it to be over. For my sake and for yours. And for the life I know I want to build with you. I tried to keep you away to protect you, but that obviously didn’t work, you stubborn bull. So now we have to stop her, together. I know any attempt to go rouge ad do this on my own is futile, so I guess I’m stuck with you.”

He pulls her back down so she’s flush against his chest, “Aye. You better get used to it too.”

She rolls her eyes but knows she’d rather not have it any other way.

As her lips meet his in a searing kiss, the front door chimes to the arrival of a guest, as Davos enters the living room, arms clad with different size bags, much to Arya’s confusion.

He sets them down by the door and greets them with a bright smile, “Glad to see you two haven’t killed each other while I was away.”

Arya smiles as she gets up off the couch, “The day is still young.”

She grabs a couple of bags and brings them over to the couch as Davos and Gendry handle the rest, “You know you could have just condensed everything into one. I wouldn’t have mind.”

Davos looks at her pointedly, “I am many things Ms. Stark, stupid is not one of them. I learned long ago to not interfere with a woman and her personal belongings. The last time I did, it did not work out well in my favor.”

Gendry sets the bags he’s carrying down on the empty sofa, “Does that have anything to do with a certain Tyrell legend?”

Arya laughs in amusement, “Oooh, Davos. I need to hear that story.”

Davos laughs only slightly, “I’m sorry Ms. Stark, you’ll be waiting quite a long time for that one I’m afraid.”

Arya feigns a scowl, “Ah, boo. You used to be more fun you know, _Dadvos_ ,” she emphasizes the nickname as the two men, probably the two most important men in her current life, sit on the sofa together while watching her go through her many bags of items, first looking through the bag of the more personal items that she has no doubt, his granddaughter had help him purchase for her.

She sees everything she had put on her list, from deodorant, to a razor and shaving cream, and even a few things she didn’t think of she may have needed but is thankful someone else had thought of them for her. _I’ll have to thank this girl in person one day_ , she thinks to herself setting the bag to the side to get to the more important things at hand.

Gendry relaxes on the sofa and crosses one leg lazily over his knee while Davos crosses his arms at his spot on the couch next to him.

She opens the bag she knows is filled with her clothes, and then the bag that has some things of her family, a favorite book of both her and Robb, a journal she kept as a child, friendship bracelets that Sansa and she made together before the accident.

She feels Gendry’s eyes on her curiously, “I knew they’d be safe here.”

She watches his curiosity turn into a slow smile, attempting to change the subject as to not dwell on her past too long, “Anything in that secret stash there going to help us bring down tweedledee and tweedledum without having to much effort on our parts?”

Arya smiles slightly, “Yes and no.”

She ignores the look Gendry gives her as she empties the other bags, save for the most important one.

She lays out on the coffee table, various IDs and passports of her many aliases and three cellphones, along with cash and weapons, everything from guns to knives of all shapes and sizes and holsters to hold them at her ankle and her thighs.

After everything is laid for Davos and Gendry to see, she grabs the second to the most important bag.

Once again, she feels eyes on her movements as she reveals the large expandable folder, “This is everything I found on Stannis and Mel, nothing concrete to put them away of course, which brings me to this…”

She trails off as she grabs the last bag and takes a deep breath, praying for dear life that it’s still in the condition she last left it. She trusts Davos, but a small part of her still worries for the things beyond her control.

She pulls out the GPS tracker and the only thing in the bag, and with a deep breath, she powers it on.

It beeps once and she unfolds the antenna and waits.

Gendry leans in closer to where she is sitting across the table from him, “What the bloody hell is that?”

She waits for the coordinates to appear on the screen and when they do, she exhales audibly, “This. This is what’s going to take down Mel and Stannis.”

Davos speaks up, curiosity now getting the better of him, “I’m afraid I don’t follow, dear. That’s a GPS tracker, what exactly is it you’re tracking?”

“Remember how I told you that the last of the codes and the virus I had to put on a flash drive after I ran? Well this locates that flash drive. I couldn’t exactly keep something like that in a bus station storage locker, so I ensured it’s safety somewhere no one could easily find it.”

She watches the gears turn in Gendry eyes as he abruptly stands up and paces around the living room, anxiety clear in every step.

He keeps his eyes glued to the floor, mumbling incoherent words occasionally as he plays absentmindedly with the growing stubble on his chin.

She lets him process whatever is going through his mind, and then he stops suddenly, leaning against the back of the couch Davos still quietly sits on, “So if I’m understanding this correctly, and stop me anytime if I’m wrong, _please_ …” The look in his eyes makes it clear he’d rather be wrong about his assumption.

“You need that GPS tracker to find the flash drive that could finish what you started and take them down for good, and your plan, I assume is to use that in the program you created on the computer located at MI6 in King’s Landing?”

She says nothing, letting him conclude that yes, that has been in fact her plan all along.

She expects him to yell, to tell her how selfish and stupid she’s being wanting to put herself in harms way again, convince her that they can find another way that’s safer for them all. What he doesn’t do, is fight against her plan, taking her by surprise.

“You want to infiltrate a highly secured with armed guards, government intelligence MI6 facility?”

A simmer of a pause, “Fuck it, I’m in.”

“Wait, what?!”

He raises his eyebrows as if he doesn’t believe she didn’t actually hear him, so she continues, “You’re not going to argue with me on this? Tell me I’m dumb and need to think about my safety and the repercussions if we were to get caught and all that protectiveness bullshit you spit at me the other night?”

He sighs, bending his head to stare at he back of the couch before reluctantly looking back at her, with nothing but love and adoration in his blue eyes, “Arya, I think I’ve learned by now that you’re going to do what you want and what you feel is necessary and not let anyone or anything get in your way no matter what anyone else has to say about it. I know you’re going to follow through with this regardless of if you have my help or not, and I already told you that I’m not letting her get near you again or letting you do this alone. So yeah, regardless of how I feel, and yes, I want to yell and tell you I don’t want you to do this because it’s dangerous, I’m not, I’m with you. Always.”

They stare at each other for a long time, tension of a fight seeming to dissipate and now all she wants to do is jump his bones right then and there, if it wasn’t for…

“Um, as much as I have to agree with the boy here about the dangers of doing this, I’m not going to tell you differently either, dear. You have my assistance. I once had a deep respect for Director Baratheon that faded a long time ago, and I’ve never liked that red woman. It’s about time they both got what they deserved.”

Davos continues as Gendry steps around the couch to sit next to Arya and take his hand in hers, “But we have to be very careful. If we do this, there’s no going back. We can’t run, we can’t hide. If things go sideways, your fight or flight response will kick in and…”

He doesn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as both Gendry and Arya say one word in unison, “Fight.”

They laugh as he kisses her temple softly, “I’m done running, I just want my life back.”

“Very well. We can’t do this alone you know. We’re going to need help.”

Gendry nods, “Aye, he’s right. And whoever we bring in must be on our side no matter what, and it would help if they hated Stannis and Mel as much as we do. We have to be able to trust them undoubtedly.”

Arya agrees, “I have three in mind. I have no doubt they’ll be on board.”

Gendry pulls his phone out of his pocket, “I know a girl. She’ll be a real asset.”

Arya raises her eyebrows at him feigning jealously that she knows will make him squirm under her gaze.

He stumbles with his words as he nervously rubs the back of his neck, “I, um, it’s not like that. We trained together and…”

Arya laughs breaking him from his stuttering admission, “Relax dummy, just do what you have to.”

Davos speaks up for the three of them, “We’ll need a mutually convenient place to meet, somewhere discreet and I have just the place. I’m texting it to your phones, have your people meet us there a day from tomorrow.”

Gendry and Arya nod their heads in confirmation as they each make three quick phone calls to their respected allies.

Once they’re finished Davos bids them a friendly farewell, “I’ll see you both in two days-time.”

Gendry pushes the door closed behind him as Arya holds her body close it his, holding on for dear life. He senses her need to be close to him and whispers reassuring thoughts into her ear, making her shiver under his touch, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m with you, always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it wasn't obvious, shit's about to go down. 
> 
> Is everyone still with me on this? Let me know if it's overkill and being dragged out too long, I'm secretly terrified of people losing interest the longer it gets, but that could just be because this is my first multi-chapter fan fiction I've ever done, so my insecurities are showing. 
> 
> Yay, for the introduction of more characters which I'm really excited about! ♥
> 
> I've made the chapter count 30, which is tentative.


	18. And Nothing's Holding Back The Two Of Us, Baby This Is Getting Serious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re not going to slow down, are you?” She asks redundantly, already knowing the answer to her question.  
> “Not even a little.” He says without taking his eyes off the road.  
> “Uh-huh, that’s what I thought.” She takes off her seat belt and inches her body closer to Gendry sitting in the driver’s seat. She watches as his eyes trail over hers, a smile creeping across his lips.
> 
> "Dangerous" By David Guetta featuring Sam Martin  
> (First Featured Song) (And for the love of God and your ears, don't listen to any other version but the one I have in the playlist on YT which is the original audio, here --> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKPAbNh_rRxQGv5hOk1Jiu_19Vl4NLaMj) Seriously, I don't know how they fucked up the sound so bad on the others. Smdh. 
> 
> "Everytime" By Rusty Truck (Second Featured Song)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things to keep in mind. This chapter introduces another majorly featured character(s). Hattie Shaw is an MI6 agent in the F&F universe and is seen in Hobbs & Shaw. You really don't have to have knowledge or watch that movie to keep up. She's portrayed by Vanessa Kirby, Hattie is MI6 and a complete badass and for the sake of this story, I'm ignoring her family tree in H&S, so yeah....
> 
> Everyone else is just along for the ride. 
> 
> See my tumblr for pictures and previews of the chapters.

Present Day: Safe House

The morning they’re supposed to leave the Blackhaven to head for Oldtown, Arya wakes with a reluctant start. The past week with Gendry has been nothing short of amazing and she wants to hold on to it just a little bit longer, before the inevitable battle of their lives begins. Finish what she started, take down Mel and Stannis for good by either their death or imprisonment, clear her name and get her life back. If only it were that simple. A million and one things could go wrong, anything from crossing the wrong people on their quest for retribution, to getting caught and captured, or even their own untimely deaths. She hopes it’s anything but the latter.

Arya flutters her eyes open slowly to find Gendry still sleeping peacefully next to her on his stomach, his arm draped lazily over her chest and his face buried in the crook of her neck. She grabs the remote on her side table and presses for the curtains to open ever so slowly, letting the bright morning sun fill gradually into the room. She’s gotten awfully familiar with the gadgets of Gendry’s house the past week they’ve been hiding out and she can’t wait for the day she settles into the living space for good, no longer needing to hide her identity from the world.

With the room significantly brighter than before, Gendry stirs slightly beside her, opening his eyes slowly while remaining positioned comfortably within Arya’s embrace.

His blue eyes sparkle in the sunlight, “Morning, m’lady.”

Arya kisses the top of his head softly, “Morning, stupid. How’d you sleep?”

He nuzzles his face deeper into the slope where her neck meets her shoulder, his warm breath causing a shiver to trail down her body, “Fucking _perfect_ , I don’t want to get up. Let’s just stay in bed all day.”

She knows exactly what he means, the previous night was absolutely wonderful in her book and she never wanted it to end. From the way he kissed her naked body, to the look of unconditional love and devotion gleaming in his eyes with every thrust of his body into hers, she fell apart just by the look of him alone.

She laughs, her hand smoothing over the muscles on his bare back, “As much as I love that idea, we really can’t. If we want help, we can’t leave them waiting. There will be plenty of time for this later.”

He looks up at her, beaming almost child-like, “Promise?”

She smiles down at him, grey eyes filled with love, “Promise.”

***

They get dressed at a leisurely pace, Gendry opting for straight jeans that are cuffed at the bottom where the end meets his brown boots, a brown belt and a blue jean long sleeved shirt that brings out his jaw line rather quite nicely, unbuttoned just enough at the top to see his grey penny necklace hanging from his neck, Arya takes a moment to take in the sight of him.

She’s wearing black skinny jeans with rips all down the front and a white sheer shirt showing a subtle amount of her black bra underneath with a light black leather jacket over it, her black stilettos giving her a little bit of leverage for their large height difference.

He looks down at her choice of footwear, “Are those things rational?”

“Are you saying I can’t kick ass in heels? I’ll have you know I once killed a man with a heel of a shoe like this while I was wearing it.”

“Impressive.” He laughs at her response and sees that she’s still watching him closely, “What?” He says as if he’s done something wrong by her staring at him from the doorway.

“Nothing. Just love you.” He smirks at her but then goes back to filling his duffel bag with clothes. They’re not sure how long they’ll be away from the safe house, so they pack at least a few days’ worth for good measure.

Once their bags are packed, filled with clothes and personal belongings, along with their own choice of weapons, Gendry leads them toward the end of the hall to the garage that Arya has yet to see.

They step inside the dark room as Gendry secures the rest of the house behind them before flipping on the lights and watching Arya’s jaw drop in bewilderment.

The garage is large and brightly lit, aligned with tools and such along the walls. Parked in said garage is an assortment of vehicles, everything from armored jeeps to subtle black SUVs. She takes them in one by one, marveling at their beauty when she stops suddenly, reaching the few bikes parked at the opposite end.

She eyes the black one that looks oddly familiar, “Is that…?”

The question trails off as Gendry merely nods in confirmation at her unspoken words, smile shading over the corner of his lips.

“There was no way I was leaving it behind.”

She can’t say anything, she hadn’t meant for Gendry to keep it, but she’s glad he did. He speaks up against her silence, “So what chariot do you fancy on this fine day, m’lady?”

She laughs and rolls her eyes at his cheesy question, “That one.”

She points to the navy blue Mcclaran parked just adjacent to them.

He smiles before grabbing the keys to the car on the wall by the door, “As you wish.”

He opens the door for her before throwing their bags in the small space behind the seats, large enough for a couple of duffel bags, but not for more passengers.

Arya sits down into the leather seat getting comfortable for the long drive as Gendry steps around to get into the driver’s seat on the right side of the car.

He starts the ignition and Arya reveals in the hum of the engine as Gendry clicks his seat belt into its place, looking over at him with wide eyes, “You have to let me drive this thing.”

He chuckles as he presses the garage door opener on the set of keys jingling against his knee, “We’ll get there, let me at least get us about halfway there before I let you slow us down.”

Arya grins at his attempt at a jab at her driving skills, “Please, you couldn’t handle it.”

He laughs louder this time as he pulls the car out of the garage on the back side of the east wing of the safe house and then down the long-paved driveway towards the mountain. She watches as the house gets smaller and smaller in her side mirror, wishing she were already back in bed with Gendry wrapped in her arms.

***

The ride out of Blackhaven is silent, but content as they let the soft music playing over the radio drown out any nervous thoughts plaguing their minds.

**_Still I dream of the open highway_ **

**_It's running right through that devil's backbone_ **

**_I was terrified by nothing but winters_ **

**_Is there no mercy in my mistakes?_ **

****

Arya stares out the window, as the bustling city fades into the distance, the towns they pass getting smaller and smaller as they make their way through the highway on the back roads of Westeros, eager to keep away from prying eyes that lurk all around them. She kicks her shoes off and leans back into her seat.

**_Yeah, the bottle's half empty_ **

**_I've been riding on this carousel_ **

**_Well I tried to make some sense of nothing_ **

**_Where is the clemency of my appeals?_ **

****

As the song fades out, Arya turns the radio back down and is now acutely aware that, although they are making decent time, Gendry’s speed seems to be accelerating ever so slightly as the minutes pass by.

“You know, the point is to be as inconspicuous as possible, we don’t want to start a police chase because you have a heavy foot.”

“We’ll be fine. Besides, Hattie will never let me live it down if we’re late. Punctuality is her specialty.”

“Hattie?” Arya asks, ears now perked up at the mention of Gendry’s ‘girl’ he called for assistance.

“Yeah, Hattie Shaw. We trained together at MI6.” He eyes Arya curiously, “Anything else you’d like to know about her?”

She thinks about it for a moment, “Maybe later, you never actually answered my question about slowing down.”

She sees Gendry smirk from the passenger seat as the speedometer picks up even more than before, “Gendry, I’m serious.”

The roads are winding now, the car moving smoothly with every corner and curve, much like they way they move together in bed, and suddenly Arya’s heart picks up its rhythm as a dangerous thought creeps to the forefront of her mind.

Arya moves the volume button a little bit louder, liking the new upbeat song blasting quietly through the speakers.

**_Show me your soul, I gotta know_ **

**_Bet that you're beautiful inside_ **

**_Toes on the glass, car moving fast_ **

**_Come take the wheel and drive_ **

****

“You’re not going to slow down, are you?” She asks redundantly, already knowing the answer to her question.

“Not even a little.” He says without taking his eyes off the road.

“Uh-huh, that’s what I thought.” She takes off her seat belt and inches her body closer to Gendry sitting in the driver’s seat. She watches as his eyes trail over hers, a smile creeping across his lips.

She throws her leg over his lap, successfully straddling him as she leans her head down to rest on his chest that way, he’s able to still see the road in front of them.

“What’re you doing?” He voices muffles against her small frame in his lap.

She doesn’t move, “Slowing you down. Surely you can’t concentrate on me in your lap and your speed at the same time.”

The road they’re on is long and empty, leaving little obstacles for a good few miles.

His foot slams down on the accelerator as he shifts gears, nearing his speed to close to ninety-five miles per hour on the deserted highway. With one hand on the steering wheel, his other comes up to grab the back of Arya’s head, pulling her lips to his feverishly as his tongue darts over her lips, begging for entrance.

His eyes are closed as his lips dance with hers, the car never faltering from the path it’s on. She feels his body tense under hers as his erection grows increasingly hard under her ass. She twists her hips down into his earning a growl from deep within his chest as he pulls his focus back on the road, albeit never slowing down although the road starts to curve from its smooth path.

“If you don’t stop, I can’t promise I won’t wreck this very expensive car I’m driving. And if you continue, then I’m stopping this car on the side of the road and taking you on the hood. Now that would be _conspicuous_ as fuck.”

She laughs as she rolls from her spot in Gendry’s lap, back into her own seat, causing him to pout in the process.

“I think we can make time for that later too.” He laughs as he grabs her right hand, kissing her knuckles gently.

***

Thanks to Arya’s impromptu flirting causing Gendry to speed ridiculously fast for the towns they’re travelling through, they make it to Oldtown with an hour left to spare.

They pull up to the location Davos had texted to their phones two days ago, an empty warehouse on a seemingly abandoned side of the docks.

With no one around, Arya and Gendry exit the car slowly, taking in their surroundings carefully as to be aware of any unwanted surprises.

Once the area seems relatively safe, she leans on the hood of the car and crosses her arms over her chest.

“So, what were you saying earlier about taking me on the hood of this car?” She smirks, a dangerous glint in her grey eyes as she grabs his brown belt to pull him flush against her body.

They both smile as their lips meet in playfully messy kisses, Gendry’s body pressing hers into the hood of his car, the metal hot from having been on for the past several hours.

Their light kisses soon turn into relentless passion, as Gendry’s lips trail her neck under her white shirt, hands roaming over her thighs hungrily as Arya wraps her legs around his waist, her stilettoes waving in the air behind him.

Arya’s tempted to let him ravish her body right here in the open, but that thought soon fails as they hear someone clear their throat from a few yards away from the car.

She watches as Gendry pulls his body away from her swollen kissed lips and smiles shyly at the pretty blonde woman standing before them.

“As much as I hate to break up whatever it is you two have started here, can someone explain what the bloody hell I’m doing here?”

The blonde says, waving a hand in the air for emphasis. The first thing she notices is how _hot_ this woman is, and her inner bitch starts coming to the surface thinking about Gendry and her sharing a past she knows nothing about.

She’s wearing skinny blue jeans with heels and a flowered, loose fitting top blowing in the wind. Her hair is blonde and wavy, stopping just at her shoulders, much like Arya’s.

Arya watches as Gendry embraces the woman in a quick polite hug, “Hattie, meet Arya Stark. Arya, meet Hattie Shaw, MI6.”

Arya jumps off the hood and approaches Hattie slowly, grey eyes holding blue.

“I’m going to ask you a question and I’m only going to ask it once; do you have romantic history with Gendry?” She holds the handshake, waiting for an honest answer.

Gendry looks offended, “Arya, what the fuck? You could have just asked me that.”

Hattie shuts Gendry down, “No, it’s alright Gendry. I understand why she needs to ask, woman to woman.” She holds her gaze onto Arya’s, “No. Gendry and I do not a have a romantic past. Only friendship.”

Arya narrows her eyes, seeming to accept her response, but still wanting to see how far her taunting can go, if she relents, she’s hiding something, if she holds her ground, they’ll be just fine, “If you’re lying to me, I’ll cut your heart out.”

Hattie doesn’t seem fazed at all by her statement, and by the look in her eyes, Arya thinks she knows that she’s testing her as she leans in slightly closer to whisper, “I’d be afraid if I had one.”

Arya pulls her hand back but remains in a strong stance, as Hattie steps back and laughs while looking over at Gendry, “I like this one. We’re going to get on quite nicely I believe.”

Gendry sighs audibly looking up to the sky as if all the Gods have answered his unspoken prayers, “Relax, stupid. I like her too.”

He grabs Arya’s hand and smiles, “Come, let’s wait for the others inside.”

They walk in side by side to the empty open space, wooden beams holding the roof while leaves and trash scatter the floor, seemingly to have blown in over the years of non use.

The three chat politely for a few minutes before two of Arya’s allies arrive. She smiles subtly as Beric Dondarrion and Sandor Clegane walk inside the empty building.

“I haven’t seen you two blokes in the same room in years, it’s unsettling.” Arya says as Beric embraces her in a warm hug while Sandor only grunts in response, leaning on the wall, clearly wanting to be left the fuck alone.

Arya fills Gendry in on her connection and alliance with both men. Sandor Clegane, she met while she was under with the faceless men, hired muscle for whoever pays well and needs protection. He warmed up to her eventually and they became friends, she knew she could count on him to help with whatever he asked of him. He subtly asks about how they’re going to bring up her killing his brother not too long ago, but that’s a conversation for another time.

Beric she met almost the same way, under with Jaqen, ruthless mercenary, only they became friends quicker than the likes of her and Sandor. The only exception being he has a gambling addiction, and Melisandre ruined his life because of it. He didn’t know who she was, but he’ll never forget the red woman that took him for everything he’s worth, and he’s vowed to get revenge on her the first chance he got. Luckily for him and for Arya, she’s giving him that chance now.

Waiting for the others, Hattie and Beric get to know one another while Gendry takes the opportunity to whisper in Arya’s ear how proud he is she didn’t bring out the claws when she met Hattie.

She gives him a playful elbow to the stomach as Samwell Tarly and Podrick Payne enter happily.

Gendry greets the men with a quick handshake and a hug as he tells the others about his working with them both at MI6, Sam in intelligence, Pod a fellow special field agent.

Arya watches as Podrick and Hattie eye each other curiously.

“Hattie,” Pod says politely.

“Podrick,” She replies sweetly.

Arya leans over to talk quietly to Gendry, “What’s with those two?”

Gendry smirks, leaning into her, “ _They_ have history.”

Arya laughs as the last of their called friends arrive to greet them, Yara Greyjoy.

She pulls Arya into a tight hug, “I’m glad you called.”

Arya introduces Yara to the others as she explains their complicated history and friendship.

“Captain Yara Greyjoy of the Westeros Navy and my future sister-in-law.”

Arya and Yara knew each other as children, with her brother Theon being close to her own siblings. When Mel put the hit out on Arya’s life, she knew she needed assistance to keep her siblings and Theon, her future brother-in-law safe, so she enlisted in Yara’s help to do so. To say she was surprised to hear from the younger Stark daughter after all these years would be an understatement, but once Arya explained everything, Yara agreed to help and keep Arya’s secret safe and they’ve remained close allies and friends ever since.

Arya sighs, “Right, now that we’re all acquainted, we’re just waiting for…”

“I’m here kids, don’t worry.”

Arya’s sentence drops short as the man in question enters the room and then eyes each of the occupants cautiously before his eyes stop on Hattie’s in confusion as they embrace each other with a side hug and a peck on the cheek, “Hattie, what are you doing here, love? I didn’t send for you, did I? I just can’t remember these days; seems your poor grandfather is getting senile in his old age.”

He laughs as Arya and Gendry’s jaws drop in shock and they say in unison, “Grandfather?!”

They look at each other and then back at Davos and Hattie, knowing the others are giving them side glances and smirks at the awkward exchange. Arya takes a chance to look back at Pod, who seems unfazed at the exchange.

Hattie laughs at their expressions, “I can’t tell if you two are shocked he’s _a_ grandfather or if you’re shocked, he’s _my_ grandfather?”

Gendry laughs and rubs the back of his neck nervously while Arya remains silent beside him, “Uh, both I guess? I’ve known you both for a decade now, but I didn’t know this. Like what the fuck?”

He laughs again and Arya joins him looking at Hattie for clarification, “So your father is Davos’ son I presume, since Davos only had one child, that I know of at least? Does MI6 run in the family or something?” She laughs amused albeit still a little bit nervous again.

“Yes. And yes. My dad and my both my grandparents are, er, _were_ MI6.”

Gendry looks confused, “What? Marya is MI6 too?”

Davos looks at him sheepishly while Hattie steps up to answer his question, “No, you oof. My mum’s mum was MI6, you may have heard of her, Olenna Tyrell?”

Again, in unison and slacked jaws, “What?!”

 _What the actual fuck, maybe she is the granddaughter Davos enlisted to get my things for the safe house_ , Arya thinks to herself, heading spinning from the new revelation.

Yara side steps halfway between where Hattie and Davos and Gendry and Arya are standing, “As much as this little family debacle is amusing, can we get down to business? My crew is waiting and if I’m gone longer than necessary, they’ll start asking questions we really don’t need them to be asking, ay?”

Davos clears his throat getting everyone’s attention, “Yes. Right. Follow me then.”

He leads them to the far end of the warehouse; a single wall of wooden boards covers the back with two boards side by side that seem to resemble a sliding door that you would find in a barn. He slides them open to reveal an elevator shaft on the other side.

Once everyone is inside, albeit rather uncomfortably for so many people in such a small place, the elevator descends slowly and opens into a dimly lit basement.

Arya and Gendry are the first to step out and she takes in the view around her. As the lights come on, she sees a couple of safes, most likely with weapons inside, a few computers and tv screens, a table in the middle of them and a few shelves and drawers of documents and papers aligning the wall. 

She looks at the oldest man in the room, “Davos, you have a secret lair?”

“Aye. You don’t get to be an agent at my age without a few secrets and tricks up your sleeve.”

Arya laughs as she embraces Gendry warmly, wrapping her hands around his neck and kissing him soundly, despite having prying eyes, she couldn’t be more grateful for having him back in her life and for all of his help.

Hattie walks in side by side with Davos, and leans over to talk to him softly, “So what’s the deal with those two? I’ve known Waters for a long time and I’ve never seen him like that around a woman before.”

Davos looks in the direction of his granddaughter’s gaze, Arya and Gendry holding each other closely, “Ah, those two. In a fight, they’re lethal, around each other, they melt.”

Hattie smiles up at Davos as they reach the center of the room.

They all gather around the large table in the middle of the underground basement, save for Sandor who resumes his defiant stance on the wall, silent and unbothered by the current situation.

Once everyone is settled and attentive, Arya explains who she is to the unfamiliar people that have joined them today and tells her story of how she came to find out about Melisandre and Stannis’ corruption within MI6 and how she originally planned on exposing them and that they plan on, with their help, finishing what she started almost a year ago.

Gendry looks around the room, “Look, I know some of you have troubled history with Melisandre, she’s grown to accumulate her fair share of enemies over the years. But I think we can all agree, with her new threat to Arya’s life and this country, she needs to be dealt with, sooner rather than later. Later could be too late for us all.”

Everyone remains quiet, taking in the new information, except for Sam who has yet to barely speak since arriving.

He’s nervous, that’s obvious, with his minor sweating and pinkish cheeks, but he’s also brilliant, Arya can tell his mind is a force to be reckon with, “While I do agree with you on the directors being a threat in themselves, might I bring up the fact that if we do this and we get caught, it’s _treason_. For all of us, no matter our occupations, and there’s no coming back from that.”

Beric leans his elbows against the table and then claps his hands together, “So we don’t get caught.”

Podrick and Yara smirk and Sam looks even more stressed than before.

Gendry speaks up before Arya has the chance, “We’re not asking any of you to do anything you don’t want to do. If you’re uncomfortable with everything we’ve just told you, you can leave. Right now, no harm done.”

Arya interrupts his speech, “But, if you agree that Mel and Stannis need to be brought to justice, together we can make sure that happens.”

Arya eyes each of them curiously, lost in their own thoughts, pondering her words carefully, before waiting to speak again.

“So, what’s it going to be? Are you in, or are you out?”

Hattie beams brightly, “You know I’m in for a good fight.”

Yara looks at Arya pointedly, “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect our family, no matter what.”

Beric and Pod both nod at Arya and Gendry in agreement, while Sandor responds with a grunted conformation that he’s on board with the others.

Gendry looks over at his friend, “Sam?”

Sam swallows audibly, “Aye. I’m in.”

Beric steps away from the table and folds his arms across his chest, “So what’s the first move here?”

Arya looks back at Gendry and then the others, “Well we need to retrieve the flash drive before we do anything else. If we don’t have that, then anything else we plan is pointless.”

Podrick speaks up, “Where is it?”

Arya ignores the question in favor of scrolling through her phone and then stepping next to Davos, “Do you have a map for these coordinates?”

Davos shakes his head and then rummages through a shelf on the wall that Sandor has been occupying the entire time they’ve been down here. He pulls out a large paper map and lays it across the table, as Arya smiles up at Gendry.

“You’re not afraid of heights, right?”

He looks at her confused, “Not really, no.”

Arya smiles wickedly, “So that means you’re not opposed to jumping out of a plane, then?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to say that it looks to be as of my pattern lately, that Friday's are the days I update. Yeah, we'll go with that.
> 
> I borrowed a quote from Richelle Mead.


	19. Won't You Follow Me, Into The Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tormund then turns to Gendry with a wicked grin and outstretched arms, “Don’t think you’re getting away either little man.” He pulls Gendry into a tight bear hug and he can’t help but to grin and return the weirdly comforting display of affection.
> 
> "Jungle" By X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as some of you may know, I've started another Gendrya multi chapter fic that's fluff af. Which is where most of my attention has been, thus the reason for a delay in this chapter.   
> Soo yeah, go read that if you want. I'm really excited about it. 
> 
> I lost my muse for this for a minute there that was going to result in this chapter being a lot shorter, but I found it and this turned out better than I thought it would. I'm excited to keep the action going.

Present Day: Oldtown

Arya smiles wickedly, “So that means you’re not opposed to jumping out of a place, then?”

Gendry hangs his head in amusement, knowing she’s up to something dangerous, “Oi, what are you on about now?”

Arya points to a spot on the map and the others, save for Sandor against the wall, lean in to get a better look, “What we need is here, on Valyria, a very remote location that’s not easily accessible by any road according to this map. Our best bet is to use GPS intergraded parachutes to take us exactly where we need to be. Or at least as close to it as possible.”

Sam looks at Gendry and then back to Arya, “May I ask how exactly your flash drive ended up in the middle of the jungle?”

“I hacked a MI6 military grade weapons drone to carry it from Volantis to Naath, undetected of course, but the GPS scrambler malfunctioned and dropped it early.” She shrugs as if it’s a simple mistake, one that doesn’t necessarily make or break the entire mission, even though it really does. If the flash drive is broken in any way and won’t work, she’ll have to start over from scratch, either with the code or their whole plan, something they do not have the time for. 

“Gendry and I will get the drive and meet you all back here tomorrow at 1700 to go over the plan to infiltrate MI6.”

Beric looks curiously at his friend, “And what about transportation to the island, who’s flying the plane?”

Podrick steps up to take over the explanation, “I am.”

Yara looks unconvinced, “You’re a pilot?”

Podrick nods, “Aye.”

Hattie smiles encouragingly at Yara, “It’s true. I was with him when they gave him his license. Looked real enough to me.” She gives Podrick a flirty wink and he blushes slightly at the brazenness. 

Hattie then turns back to Arya, “What about transportation off the island? If someone recognizes either of you, it’s over.”

Arya looks at the blonde, the threat of being caught in the act dismissed easily, “I know a guy.”

Gendry keeps his gaze on Hattie and shrugs, knowingly exactly who Arya is referring too, “She knows a guy.”

Hattie smiles and looks at the two of them, “You two are bloody ridiculous, you know that? Just don’t get caught, if you do, keep my name out of it, ay?”

Arya shakes her head, “We’ll be fine. I promise. Just meet us back here tomorrow, we’ll have what we need, alright?”

***

After another half an hour of discussions, the group dissipates one by one, save for Davos, Arya, Gendry, Podrick and Hattie.

Davos ushers the others outside the warehouse in order to secure everything back in its original state before anyone notices the disturbance. 

“Hattie, love, good to see you as always.” He says while giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before bidding a farewell to the others with a remark about seeing them the next day if all goes according to plan.

Arya’s silent demeanor gives nothing away, and yet inside she’s terrified of what she’ll find in Valyria in just a few short hours.

“Gendry and I will follow you to the airstrip, I assume you know of it’s location?”

Podrick nods, “Aye. It’s only a few miles out of the city.”

Arya climbs into the passenger seat of Gendry’s McLaren, anxious to get going when Hattie starts after Podrick who is walking to his bike just a few yards away, “Wait, I’m coming with you!”

Gendry stops, body halfway into the driver’s seat, face scrunched half in confusion, half in annoyance at the sudden addition to their plan, something Hattie Shaw never had a problem with, inserting herself in situations beyond her control, “What? Why?”

“Because you’ll need me for back up and to keep an eye out until Podrick gets back. And I want to catch up with an old friend.” Arya doesn’t miss the way she winks subtly at Podrick nor the blush resulting from it as Hattie climbs onto the back of his bike and wraps her arms around his waist.

Gendry sighs, knowing she’s right and that they could use the help, as he climbs into the car and follows Podrick and Hattie away from the shipping yard.

Gendry’s mind stays on the path in front of them, while Arya’s tends to stray elsewhere, “So what’s the deal with those two? Bad history? Good history?”

Gendry sighs and she sees the hint of a smile on his lips, “More of _long_ history. They’ve been on and off for years. When they’re on, it’s good, they can’t keep their hands off each other, but when things get to personal, when they get too close for comfort, they’re off again. They’ve been off for a while now, not because of their feelings as usual, but just because things started to get too busy at the agency. Apparently the take down of The Faceless Men and a rogue assassin causes a lot of disturbance, although for reasons we weren’t quite privy too.”

Arya stays silent for the rest of the short drive to the airport, contemplating how her history with Melisandre had repercussions that went farther outside of the two of them than she thought.

Arya watches as Gendry pulls up on the left side of Podrick’s bike, him and Hattie staying in place as they look out to see the small airstrip about a half mile up a dirt road. She leans up to get a better view of the couple on the bike.

“What is this place?”

Hattie looks at Arya and then turns back to the view up ahead, “It’s an unsanctioned MI6 airstrip used solely on classified missions. It’s off the books, and only always has one newbie agent guarding it. Since it’s only used once in a blue moon, Mel and Stannis didn’t want to float the expense for more coverage than that. Shouldn’t be hard to get the bloke to comply, but you two should lay low until we get him under control just in case.”

Gendry starts the car again and slowly follows Podrick closer to the hanger, stopping far enough away to where they won’t be recognized through the windshield.

Before they make their way to the guard, they each insert earpieces into their ears they received from Davos back at the warehouse as to stay in communication at all times.

Hattie gets off the bike and makes her way inside the hanger, a swing and sway in her hips as she reaches the rookie guard and approaches him with confidence, “How’s it going there, love? How long have you been working here, ay?”

Podrick stays in sync with Hattie, keeping his distance rather cautiously as the guard looks at him and then back to Hattie in the doorway of the security booth, “Uh, three months, ma’am.”

Hattie smiles charmingly, “And how many agents have used this place in the three months you’ve been here?”

The guard looks like he’s being interrogated, “None, ma’am. Are you a fellow agent?”

Hattie looks down to see Pod out of her peripheral vision and then back at the guard standing in front of her, “Aye. Semper Occultus.”

She steps closer and leans against the desk, body language screaming a flirtatious motive, “Listen, I need a favor. My friend here is also an agent and just got his pilot’s license and needs to log in some flight time to maintain his license for the agency. Mind if he borrows the plane for a few hours? He wants to take our friends, newlyweds, for a ride in the sky as a wedding present, that’s okay with you right?”

The guard stammers out incoherent uncertainties, which are interrupted by Hattie immediately, “I promise you won’t get into any trouble, I mean this place never sees an action anyways, so what’s the harm right?”

The guard looks between Podrick and Hattie a few times before he reluctantly agrees and gives them the go ahead.

For good measure, Hattie leans over and gives the shy agent a kiss on the cheek and whispers a thank you before heading back out with Podrick towards the plane.

Gendry and Arya climb out of the car slowly, keeping their heads down while maintaining a show of affection, falling into their roles as newlyweds with ease as they climb into the small aircraft.

With Gendry and Arya in the back preparing themselves for their jump, quickly changing into more comfortable clothes, boots and tactical gear they brought along, they help each other strap on their parachutes as Hattie stands just outside the plane, talking to Podrick through the small window next to the pilot’s seat. 

“I’ll maintain contact from here. Let me know once you’re on the ground and have the drive. I’ll see you when you get back,” she looks at Podrick with a smile and then aims her eyes to the back of the plane, regardless if she can see the other two or not, “And you two tomorrow. Stay safe.”

Hattie smacks the side of the plane signaling they’re ready for takeoff as Podrick starts the plane and the engine roars to life.

***

The airplane is cramped to say the least, but at least Podrick flying relatively well brings Gendry a little bit more comfort than if it were a stranger flying this death trap. It’s not that he’s afraid of heights or flying for that matter, but the plane they had to use, a small two engine that looked like it hasn’t been used in a decade brings him little comfort of it successfully passing any safety inspections. Just goes to show how little Melisandre cares about the wellbeing of the agency over her own personal gain.

Him and Arya are both clothed with black pants and long-sleeved shirts underneath their parachute wind breakers, tactical gear in place ready for any unexpected complications or ambushes.

Gendry slides the door of the plane open as a rush of wind blows through, pulling down his glasses over his eyes for safety, “Have you ever jumped out of a plane before?”

Arya shakes her head, “No. You?”

“Nope.”

She smiles mischievously at him and he has the strangest feeling her plan they are currently seeing through has an ulterior motive behind it, but now is neither the time nor the place to ask her about it.

Arya yells over the sound of the wind blowing through the plane, “I find that hard to believe with your extensive career at the agency, but I’m glad to be the first person for you to do this with.”

Gendry grabs her hand and holds it tightly before they both give each other a nod of agreement to take the plunge. Literally.

“Don’t let go.” He tells her lovingly, blue holding grey.

“Never.” She replies with just as much love before they force their bodies out of the plane, falling freely beneath the clouds.

The experience he’s sharing with Arya, falling to the ground while holding her hand at fourteen thousand feet is both thrilling and terrifying at the same time, but it’s an experience with her he’ll never forget, despite the circumstances of the reason surrounding it.

Their parachutes deploy at the point of altitude they’re programmed for and they get back on solid ground in less than two minutes.

Once on the ground, landing in a small opening between the trees, they ditch their parachutes for their weapons, now on high alert more than ever.

Arya looks at the GPS locater signaling the drive they’re after is only a few hundred yards into the jungle. She moves forward while Gendry stays just behind her, gun up and ready for anything unexpected as he protects her while they make their way further into the rough terrain.

The path is quiet, save for the crunching of the Earth under their feet and their heavy breathing from the adrenaline coursing through their veins in the unfamiliar territory.

“Here.” Arya stops then and holsters her gun while Gendry keeps his trained on nothing.

He looks down at the ground as she picks up a small black box, locked with the only visible key being a digital thumbprint, hers.

She opens it slowly, the contents inside seemingly intact, “We got it, Gendry.”

He lowers his gun long enough to hold her tightly in his arms and whisper against her neck, “We’re almost free.”

She holds his face in both hands, kissing his lips feverishly before lowering her forehead to rest against his, “I love you.”

“I love you too. Now let’s get the fuck out of her before someone sees us.”

Hattie’s voice chimes in their ears, “I second that, get a move on lovebirds, Payne’s on route back to me, don’t get killed in the jungle, aye?”

They laugh at Hattie as they make their way once again through the jungle, guns raised and ready, “How sure are you of this exit strategy off the island?”

She laughs continuing to lead the way the GPS is telling her too, “Look at it this way, if my plan to get back home fails, you get to just hide out on this island for me for the rest of your life. It’s a win-win.”

He smiles at the way her mind works, “Well I can’t argue with that, now can I?”

The rest of the hike is silent, save for the rustling of the wilderness around them. They walk for about two miles before Gendry sees an opening through the trees, the waves crashing against the shore roughly.

Once they reach the beach, Gendry sees a bearded red headed man waiting on a ship a few yards out into the water, “So Tormund was here, this far away from the drive the whole time? Why the jump then?” He asks her curiously, the same question plaguing his mind since he saw how she was in the plane just a couple of hours ago.

The only response he gets is a shrug of her shoulders, as they make their way onto the dock and then onto the waiting ship.

He lets it go for now, but before the day is over, he’s going to find out exactly what Arya Stark is up too.

His thoughts of Arya’s motives are hushed by the sounds of burly men embracing the little wolf.

“Okay, Tormund. I… I can’t breathe.”

Tormund releases his hold on Arya and sets her firmly back down on solid ground, “You just saw me like last week, dummy.”

The red head almost looks offended, “So? I missed my little wolf. Two visits in a short time is rare, so I’m taking full advantage of it.”

Tormund then turns to Gendry with a wicked grin and outstretched arms, “Don’t think you’re getting away either little man.” He pulls Gendry into a tight bear hug and he can’t help but to grin and return the weirdly comforting display of affection.

“Come, we arranged for you to have the same room as last time on our journey, the newbie is bunking with Edd. He was the safest bet out of us lot.” He adds with wink and Gendry starts to wonder just who this new person is exactly.

Gendry takes the time to get adjusted to their room, while Arya strays away greeting each of her old friends warmly.

He sets their bags down on the bed, much the way he did not too long ago and his mind drifts back to that night, holding Arya in his arms as she cried for her fallen family members, back before they rekindled their love for one another only the night after.

With the door still open, his thoughts are interrupted by the approach of another. He turns around quickly, expecting to be met with Arya but instead finds himself confronted by a different dark-haired woman, someone he’s never seen before and it takes him a few seconds to realize she must be the new person Tormund had mentioned. And this is her room now.

She stares at him a little longer than necessary, almost as if she’s ogling his looks.

“I uh, hello. I’m Gendry.” He stretches his hand out for her to shake.

“Arianne. Nice to meet you Gendry.” She shakes his hand but doesn’t release it right away, much to Gendry’s surprise. 

He remains in place as he rubs the back of his neck nervously, unaware of what to say to the new girl, she however wastes no time in breaking the silence.

“I heard we were having guests this night. I just didn’t know how attractive they’d turn out to be. Perhaps your friend would rather share the room tonight with Edd instead.”

Gendry doesn’t move, only stands there, jaw slacked at the audacity radiating off this woman when he hears a throat clear from behind him. He turns to see Arya standing in the doorway with her arms folded across her chest, eyes shooting daggers at Arianne sitting on the bed with her legs crossed seductively.

_If looks could kill_ , he thinks to himself as he takes a few steps back, putting some distance between himself and Arianne, eyes trained on a spot on the floor that seems to be the safer place for his gaze at the moment.

“Perhaps not.” Arya replies, venom stinging each word mercilessly.

Gendry watches as Arya raises an eyebrow, the same way she does as a silent invitation to question her, something he supposes she does unconsciously.

Gendry feigns a cough in a fable attempt to break the tension, “Arianne, this is Arya. My _girlfriend_.” He says the last word pointedly, hoping she’ll get the hint and back off, too bad he’s not that lucky.

Arianne eyes Arya from head to toe before walking up beside her at the open door. She looks at Arya and then back at Gendry with a sigh, “Well if you change your mind, come find me later.” Fucking hell.

Arianne strides past Arya before she’s stopped in her tracks, a strong grip on her arm holding her back as Arya whispers to only her, warning clear in her eyes and her words, “ _I will kill you in your sleep_.”

Arianne scoffs before jerking her arm back from Arya’s hold and walking away, leaving the two alone for the first time since they arrived as Gendry looks to the ceiling while holding the bridge of his nose in exasperation before looking back at Arya and shaking his head in amusement.

“The _nerve_ of that one…” Arya looks like she’s ready to pounce on the woman in question before she visibly relaxes at the sight of Gendry smiling back at her. 

She wraps her hand around Gendry’s neck as he does the same with his arms around her waist, “You don’t really think she’ll get what she wants do you?”

Arya shrugs nonchalantly, “If that’s what _you_ want, I can always go see if Hammer is up for a round or two.”

Gendry’s playful expression turns dark within a second, “I’ll fucking kill him.”

Arya laughs as she holds the side of his face with one hand, “Stupid,” before she brings her lips to his and kisses him passionately.

***

The next few hours fly by quickly as does dinner, although it takes a lot of effort on Gendry’s part to keep Arya away from Arianne as much as possible.

While everyone is deep in their cups, he pulls Arya away from the dining hall to take a stroll on the deck of the ship, the stars twinkling in the purple sky above.

They reach the edge as Arya leans against the side with her holds folded as Gendry leans on his side, elbow resting on the ledge, “Can I ask you something?”

Arya turns to face him then, curiosity and wonder getting the better of her at what could be plaguing his mind, “Of course. But if you tell me you’re bunking with Arianne tonight, I’m tying you to the anchor and throwing your ass overboard.”

He laughs and it eases some of the tension building up inside of him at what he wants to know of her, if only for a brief moment, “I wouldn’t expect anything less, milady.”

He pauses and looks down, not able to meet her eyes, “Why the jump, Arya? Why go to such extremes to retrieve the drive when there were obviously much easier and seemingly less dangerous ways of doing so.”

She looks down for a minute before meeting the intensity in his blue eyes, “Honestly? I thought it would be fun, something thrilling we could do together, like a once in a lifetime thing I guess, I don’t know.”

He thinks about the meaning behind her words and he feels his heart race at the implication behind them, “You mean like something you can cross off your _bucket list_?”

She holds his gaze but says nothing, tears gleaming behind her grey eyes.

He takes a step back from the edge of the ship, “Fucking Christ, Arya! Is that what it was about? Doing something you think you won’t ever get the chance to do because you’re not expecting to come out of this fight alive?”

She chokes out a heavy, “Yes.”

Something in the look in her eyes tells him there’s more to it, more to _her_ , “Was it because you think you won’t make it out alive, or because you’re not _planning_ on making it out alive?”

He watches as a single tear falls from her eyes and he knows deep in his gut it’s the latter.

Now he’s pissed, “What the fuck, Arya? Did you have it in your head this entire time to be some kind of martyr? To sacrifice yourself for me and everyone else?”

“If it came down to it, without question.”

He’s yelling, no longer able to saunter his fury within, “Gods, I felt like we just had this conversation. Do you even care how I feel about all this? About what I would do if I lost you?”

She walks towards him even as he takes a step back, she doesn’t relent, “Of course I fucking do, you idiot. But you don’t know what I’ve done Gendry. I deserve the fate that’s dealt to me. You deserve to live, to have everything you ever wanted. That’s all I want for you, hell I never wanted you in my mess to begin with, you’re just so god damn stubborn! I can’t lose you, so if either of us is not coming out of this alive, I’ll make damn sure it’s not you.”

Gendry closes the distance between them and leans his forehead against hers, tears brimming the edges of both blue and grey, “I can’t lose you either. Neither of us are dying, you hear me?” He grabs the sides of her face as her hands come up to rest on his own.

He pulls her flush against his body and holds on for dear life, like it’s the last time that they’ll ever get a moment like this again. Loving. Tender. _Safe._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to @fineosaur for the suggestion of using Arianne to make Arya jealous.


	20. Help Me Out Of This Hell, Your Love Lifts Me Up Like Helium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They make their way over to the car and as Arya reaches for the door to the back seat, she’s stopped by Hattie raising her voice at Pod, “Oi! Get in the back, ladies up front!”  
> Her eyes widen at Hattie’s gesture and she can’t help but to sport an impressed smile across her face as Podrick switches sides and seats with her, letting her get comfortable in the front while the boys slouch in the back.  
> “And who said chivalry was dead? You’re my new best friend, sorry Gendry.”
> 
> "Helium" By Sia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a long one guys, and a lot is happening so enjoy the ride.

Present Day- 20 Miles Off The Coast of Valyria

She holds him as tight as she can, for as long as she can. She’s tired of arguing and fighting. She’s ready to give up and give in but Gendry is her saving grace and as long as he stays by her side, she’ll fight. She’ll fight until there’s no fight left in her, and then if he needs her too, she’ll fight a little more.

Arya prays for the day this is all over. The day Melisandre and Stannis are no longer a threat to her and the ones she loves and this world they live in. But whatever happens after that, after she gets her life back, that’s left with fate to decide.

How long she stands there and holds herself flush against his body she doesn’t know. It could have been hours and it still wouldn’t be long enough. Forever wouldn’t be long enough to either of them.

A clearing of a voice from a few feet behind them breaks their hold on one another slightly, as Arya pulls her head up from Gendry’s chest and looks behind him to the source of the noise. Arianne.

He follows her eyes and sees Arianne standing just to the left of the door leading down to the dining hall, where the others are sure to be deep in their cups at this hour.

“Tormund wanted a word with Gendry. Said it wouldn’t take long.”

Arya feels Gendry pull his warmth away from hers and she shivers at the missing comfort he brings. He leans down to kiss the side of her head softly and whisper a warning in her ear as he leaves her alone with Arianne, “Be nice. I’ll be back soon.”

She huffs and rolls her eyes as he walks away and she turns to lean against the side of the ship, eyes meeting the vast open sea hoping she makes it clear she’s not in the mood for the other woman’s company.

Arianne, however, either misses the notion all together or just doesn’t care as she walks up and mirrors Arya’s stance next to her.

“I’m not after your boyfriend.”

Arya laughs, laced with venomous humor at her words and she clenches her jaw to keep from doing something stupid, “The fact that you felt you needed to tell me that makes me think otherwise.”

Arya keeps her eyes on the sea, the moon shining brightly against the waves, her hair flowing softly in the breeze and she feels Arianne shift her weight beside her, although she doesn’t meet her gaze. She stays defiantly still, not wanting to have a conversation that’s sure to end up in a physical altercation, mostly on Arya’s part from punching the smirk she saw earlier right off her pretty face.

“It’s the truth. And the truth is that I told Tormund to pull Gendry away from you so we could talk.”

Arya sighs and turns her head then, meeting her dark brown eyes that show sincerity wrapped in secrets, which makes her curious, yet still not trusting of the only other woman on the ship.

“Why?”

“Because I needed you to know you have allies in this world Arya, more than you know. Davos and the others are not the only ones.”

If Arya wasn’t interested in a conversation with this woman before, she certainly is now. If Arianne knows about Davos and the others, then she knows about Melisandre, and that puts her on edge more than anything. 

Arya takes a step back and clenches her hands into hard fists at her side, ready to strike if need be, but before she can get the words out, Arianne is already one step ahead of her.

“No, I’m not working for Melisandre or Stannis. That you can be positive of, if you don’t believe anything else, I say to you. Earlier, when we first met, that was a test. A test of your relationship with Gendry, how strong your bond is, and your character, where your head is at.”

Arya narrows her eyes and relaxes her hands slightly, a silent urge for Arianne to continue her explanation of their not so polite encounters since they met.

“I can’t tell you much more than that, just know that I am on your side and not everyone you meet is out to get you. But that doesn’t mean you should trust everyone either, Arya, you’re still in danger until Mel and Stannis are dealt with properly. I just need you to be aware that there are stronger forces at play here.”

“I can’t believe I am saying this, but I honestly believe what you’re telling me. But I still don’t trust you, that show with Gendry earlier was too convincing.”

Arianne laughs and sighs against the ship’s railing, “I promise I’m not interested Arya. Why do you think I gave my room up so easily? I haven’t even used it since I met these blokes. I’ve been spending my nights with my own love, but you didn’t hear that from me. We don’t want Tormund or the others to find out just yet.”

Arya smiles, remembering Tormund telling her about Arianne bunking with Edd, but it doesn’t reach her eyes, “He really loves you; you know. Gendry, I mean. It’s evident in everything he does, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Arya looks to the ground, unable to meet her eyes, “I know, I’m just…”

She can’t find the words and Arianne seems to know what she’s thinking, even if she can’t say it out loud, “You’re worried about what happens after the fight, after you win. When you get your life back, the life you want.”

Arya’s grey finds brown then and she swallows the lump in her throat and nods in agreement.

“Do you want a family Arya? A family of your own one day?”

The words hit Arya like a ton of bricks, almost knocking the air from her lungs. She never thought about marriage or children, not in the sense of her actually achieving a dream such as her own family, her own pack one day. It was inconceivable. At least it was before she had Gendry back in her life.

“I’ve never thought about it really, didn’t think it was possible with the life that I lead.”

“Well if you and Gendry manage to come out of this fight alive, I hope that’s something you’ll have one day, if that’s want you both want.”

Arianne gives her a genuine smile before departing from her place next to Arya and heading back down below, leaving her alone atop an empty deck with only the sounds of the waves slamming against the side of the boat and the fast beating rhythm of her own heart.

***

After a couple of hours drinking with the crew, Arya and Gendry bid them goodnight and make their way to the room they once shared together not too long ago.

Once they enter and the door is shut, Arya pushes Gendry back against the door and crashes her lips against his in a frantic impulse to have him as close to her as possible. Her lips find his pulse point while her hands begin to unbutton his pants but his hands on hers still the action in a second.

“Arya, we can’t, it’s _her_ room, it’s weird.”

She swats his hands away to finish what she started, “It’s fine, I _promise_.”

Her mouth finds his neck again and she feels him lean his head back against the door as he releases a soft moan of approval, “What did you even talk about while I was gone?”

She pulls his shirt over his head before removing her own, “Just things. Now shut up and kiss me.”

He doesn’t need to be told twice as he grabs her half naked body and throws her on the bed causing her to laugh under him. He trails his own lips down her neck with wet kisses until he reaches the crease in between her bra covered breasts.

With a swift motion he has her back arched off the bed so he can remove the fabric covering them while she works to remove the rest of his clothes from his body.

Never breaking the intense gaze, he removes the last of her clothes with ease before his mouth his covering one breast while his thumb trails over the other causing her to sink deeper into the bed and let out a moan of pleasure.

His lips move lower and lower until their hovering just over her core and she swears it’s the most precious sight she’s ever gotten the chance to witness. She grabs his hair in a tight fist holding him gently in place while meeting her eyes with his blue, “You’re _beautiful_.”

He smiles at her with a dark tint laced in his features, “And you’re _dangerous_.” 

She laughs, “Don’t pretend you don’t like it.”

He keeps her gaze while his mouth lowers, just inches away from her soaking wet folds and she can feel his breath against her, causing even more wetness than before, “Oh, I _love_ it.”

It’s then that she swears she’s going to come undone right there as his tongue runs over her clit, licking and sucking every inch of pink it can reach.

“Fuck, Gendry…”

He stops the motions at the sound of his name, and she can’t help but to pout slightly, “Yes, milady?”

Her head falls back into the pillow, “I _need_ you, now.”

Again, Gendry complies quickly, climbing back on top of her and entering her easily as her walls clench around his erection. He grabs her thigh and throws her leg over his shoulder as they find a perfect rhythm, his thrusts becoming faster as they both chase a sweet relief.

She roams her hands over the muscles in his shoulders as he pushes himself harder against her as they feel their peak coming on faster than they anticipated.

With a few more hard thrusts they come together in a blissful peace, her thighs convulsion as he spills himself deeply inside her.

As their breathing evens out, he pulls himself slowly out of her feeling the presence of their love making drip on the sheets, neither one of them caring enough to worry about it.

She pulls herself into him, tucking her head under his chin as he wraps his arms around her small frame, kissing the top of her head lovingly as they drift off together in a content slumber.

***

_Arya finds herself in a familiar place, somewhere she knows she hasn’t been in a very long time and yet it feels like she’s been here her entire life without pause. She wanders through the garden aimlessly taking in the sight of the flowers that have started to bloom to their fullest potential as a little girl appears just on the edge, holding out a white daisy for her to take. The little girl is remarkably beautiful with dark brown hair wrapped in curls and bright blue eyes._

_“Is this for me?” She takes the flower and holds it close as the little girl reaches out for Arya to grab her by the hand and lead her over to a stone bench at the edge of the garden._

_The little girls sits down beside Arya and keeps her hand held in her own smaller one, “Tell me a story mummy.”_

_Arya smiles and looks around the backside of the Stark Manor in Winterfell, “What story would you like to hear, my love?”_

_“Tell me a story about you and daddy. Those are my favorites.”_

_The girl kicks her legs back and forth, limbs too short to reach the ground just yet as her other hand plays with the fabric of her pink cotton dress._

_Arya twirls the diamond ring on her left hand absentmindedly as they hear someone approach just a few feet away. The child jumps from the bench and runs headlong, holding her arms out wide beside her, “Daddy!” She screams in excitement as Gendry picks the little girl up off the ground and holds her close to his chest._

_He walks towards where Arya is sitting, “There’s my girls.”_

_He sits down and holds the child in his lap as she wraps her arms around his neck not wanting to let go, “How are you my love?”_

_Arya leans into Gendry’s side as he wraps his arm around her waist while keeping their daughter nestled closely in between the both of them, “Perfect. Absolutely perfect.”_

***

Arya stirs in her sleep until she slowly begins to wake, tears prickling her eyes as she recalls the dream she had. A dream that was so vivid it almost seemed like a memory of something that’s sure to happen one day. She supposes her dream resulted in the conversation she had with Arianne about her and Gendry’s future and now it’s all she can think about.

She watches him sleep next to her, his breathing even, even though his eyebrows are crinkled like he’s focusing on something serious inside his mind. It’s then she realizes he’s not concentrating on something in his sleep, but rather on _her_ as his hoarse voice fills the silence, “What are you thinking about?”

She gasps softly, “How did you know I was awake; your eyes aren’t even open?”

With his eyes still closed he smiles, “I don’t need to have my eyes open to feel you watching me and know you’re thinking hard about something.” He chooses the end of his sentence to turn his head towards her and open his bright blue eyes, the same blue eyes she just saw on a little girl in her dream. _Their daughter_.

She feels the blush rise to her cheeks as she buries her face into the crook in his neck, not able to meet the intensity in his gaze on her.

Her words are muffled but still coherent for understanding, “What happens next?”

“Well I think we have to put clothes on to be able to leave this room with some dignity.”

She laughs as she pulls her head back to meet his smile with her own, “I don’t mean literally right now, stupid. I mean after all of this is over, after we’re free, what happens then?”

He pulls her closer, “Well once the smoke has cleared and the threat is over, aside from the political fallout and repercussions we’re sure to face from parliament, I’m taking you home.”

She narrows her eyes at him in confusion, prompting him to elaborate on what ‘home’ means, “I’m taking you back to Winterfell, back to your brothers and sister, back to your family.”

She taken back by his admission, “You’ve thought about this?”

“Aye. But only when you’re ready of course. That’s what I want us to do.”

She nods her head in agreement, already having thought of returning to Winterfell more than once, but until the threat is over, she’d never return if it meant being in close proximity to her family and putting them in danger.

“And after that? I’m talking the future beyond a year from now. What’s happening then?”

Gendry smiles wickedly as his lips find her own, kissing her forehead, cheek and lips in between each word, “I’m seeing more of this and then some.”

His lips find hers in a passionate kiss, Arya’s body reacting to it instantly, but she needs to know more, therefore she holds herself back from taking their kiss to the point of no return.

“Do you want a family of your own?”

If he’s shocked by her blatant question, he hides it well, “I’ve honestly never considered it a possibility, you know with being a spy and all. I know you’re my family and that’s never going to change, even if you try to get rid of me.”

He smiles and it takes her breath away, “Do you?”

She thinks back to her dream, to the life they shared together, and she knows without a doubt she wants that more than anything someday. She doesn’t believe she wouldn’t have dreamt it if deep down that was something she _didn’t_ want. 

She nods shyly, not able to say the words.

“Good, because that’s something I want too, only with you. I’d do anything for you Arry, it’s always been you and it’s only going to be you for as long as I live.”

She feels the tears flow warm and freely down her cheeks as Gendry kisses each of them away, replacing a sign of sadness with nothing but love and adoration. Her heart literally might explode from the love she has for him.

***

By the time they untangle themselves from each other for the last time that morning, they know they’re close to shore in the Dornish sea as the ship’s speed has dropped dramatically so they dress in haste and make their way with their things to the deck where the others are waiting to say goodbye.

Gendry and Arya each take turns to the crew members, saving Tormund for last who always takes the longest with his sobs in between bear hugs. Arya eyes Arianne with an amicable nod in goodbye as they part ways, and the look Arianne gives her suggests for her to keep an open mind about the information she shared with her the night before. She may have allies out there that she’s unaware of, but that’s not stopping her from being wary of every stranger she and Gendry come across until this whole ordeal is laid to rest for good.

They walk along the marina keeping each other close and their heads down. Luckily for them, they only have to keep that up until they reach the parking lot where their ride is already waiting.

Arya smiles at the sight of Hattie in the driver’s seat of her red Audi rs7 with Podrick in the passenger seat, windows down greeting them with an shy wave.

They make their way over to the car and as Arya reaches for the door to the back seat, she’s stopped by Hattie raising her voice at Pod, “Oi! Get in the back, ladies up front!”

Her eyes widen at Hattie’s gesture and she can’t help but to sport an impressed smile across her face as Podrick switches sides and seats with her, letting her get comfortable in the front while the boys slouch in the back.

“And who said chivalry was dead? You’re my new best friend, sorry Gendry.”

Hattie laughs as she puts the car in gear to drive away from the pier, “Ha! Take that, Waters.”

The lightheartedness of the taunts in the car soon fade as Podrick’s expression turns more serious, “What kind of condition is the drive in, is it operable?”

While out on Tormund’s ship, Arya and Gendry haven’t been able to communicate with anyone until they reached Dorne, “It seems to be, I won’t know for sure until we get back to Oldtown and I can test it on the system Davos has in his _lair_.”

She turns to Hattie, “Did you know he had that? And what’s it like being related to him and Olenna Tyrell? I’m impressed on so many levels.”

Arya smiles in her seat looking back out through the window as the city fades by in a blur, “No I didn’t, and you can’t ask me something like that. I’m not starstruck by it, they’re just _family_. My crazy ass stubbornly annoying family. When this is all over you have to come stay with us at the house in Highgarden.”

Arya’s mouth drops at the invitation while Gendry scoffs at the word ‘house’, “Don’t under exaggerate Hattie, that place has its own zip code.”

Arya shushes him and looks back at Hattie, “Good luck getting me to leave. I have so much to ask your grandmother it’s unreal.”

***

The rest of the drive back to Oldtown to meet the others consists of more fangirling from Arya over Hattie’s familial relations and an abundance of stories of embarrassing things each of them, save for Arya had to endure during their training days at MI6.

These are her friends, her family. If anything, this experience from being on the run to save her own life, literally, is a growing amount of people in her life she cares about unconditionally, one thing Arya Stark will never be again is _alone_.

They get to the warehouse on time thanks to Hattie’s undeniable punctuality and find Sandor and Samwell already waiting for them outside. Sandor looking bored and unimpressed per usual and Sam looks ever more nervous being alone with the brute of a man.

Davos appears as Gendry, Arya, Hattie and Pod get out of the car along with their bags. He ushers everyone inside before speaking, “Unfortunately Ms. Greyjoy has been pulled away on a mission for the Navy and it’s unclear when she’ll be available. We’ll have to continue without her and Mr. Dondarrion.”

He turns to Arya as if he needs to speak directly to her, “I have been unable to contact Beric since he left us and I don’t think he’ll be here this evening, Ms. Stark.”

Arya thinks about Beric and her history with him, he’s never let her down before, not once, “It’s okay Davos, I trust him. He must have a good reason so we shouldn’t worry. We’ll be fine without him and Yara.”

Davos nods his head accepting her answer that they’ll continue as planned, “Right. You know the way.”

They follow him to the lift and then down to the basement where everything they need for their mission is waiting.

With a heavy heart and breath withheld, Arya plugs the flash drive into the computer and keeps her eyes locked on the screen in front of her. 

A series of coding flashes across the screen and Arya audibly relaxes, “Everything’s here. We can do this.”

With a wide smile on both their faces, Gendry takes Arya into his arms. She barely registers the murmurs of cheers and excitement, the only thing she can hear is the beating of Gendry’s heart with her own, completely in sync with the other.

Arya announces to the rest of the group that they’ll infiltrate the compound the night of the military gala in downtown King’s Landing, three days from now.

“Melisandre, Stannis, and most of MI6 will be in attendance therefore it’s the only time that the building that we need to break into will be close to empty, any other time will be near impossible. I always knew if I were to do anything with this thing after the first failed attempt would be then, so Davos’ timing of sending Gendry to track me down couldn’t have been more perfect.”

Although each of the people in the room remain calm and collected, they can’t help but to smile at the thought of taking down a known enemy for good.

Arya looks at each person as she goes over their plan, “Sam will stay in the van running surveillance with Davos. Sandor will keep watch outside and take care of any threats. Gendry and I along with Podrick and Hattie will go in and I will release the contents of the drive into the virus to finish it’s task. By the time we get out of there, the whole world including the King himself that will be in the presence of Melisandre _herself_ at the gala will know of all of her crimes and she’ll be dealt with at once. And if she manages to get away in time, she won’t be able to hide for long and this will all be over. If law enforcement doesn’t it get to her, she has a long list of enemies that surely will the minute she steps out into the open.”

“I suggest each of you come up with your own plan of laying low until we know she’s as good as dead, I don’t want any of the fallout coming back on any of you. Davos will deal with the politics and the implications with the King himself and will stay in contact if need be.”

Sam looks nervous, but unaffected at the threat of being caught, “Where will you and Gendry go?”

Gendry wraps an arm around Arya’s shoulder, confidence clear in his voice, “I have a place. We’ll lay low until it’s safe. We’ll stay in touch just in case anything comes up.”

Davos looks at Arya and then around to the others, “If all goes as planned, you’ll all be in the clear from any wrongdoing, I’ll make sure of it. I’ll send the location for where to meet the night of the gala to each of your phones. See you all then.”

Arya removes the flash drive and secures it safely as they each make there way out of the warehouse and then away from the harbor, save for Gendry, Arya, Hattie and Podrick.

Hattie opens the door to her audi as Gendry heads for the passenger’s side, “I’ll take Gendry to the airstrip to get his car and we’ll meet you both back at the hotel, yeah?”

Gendry looks back at Arya and Podrick who are headed for Pod’s bike at the other end of the parking lot, “Don’t do anything stupid, and be nice.”

Podrick laughs as he holds his helmet in his hands, “Don’t worry, she’s safe with me, mate.”

“Actually, I was talking to Arya.”

Arya gives him a sarcastic grin before yelling, “Love you too,” and putting on her own helmet.

They all four laugh before heading their separate ways out of the harbor. Hattie takes a chance alone with Gendry to ask him about Arya and their complicated history, “So that mess you were in about five years ago? That her?”

Gendry keeps his eyes focused on the road ahead of them, “Yes.”

Hattie keeps her expression neutral, “Huh. I really like her, and you seem great together. I’m going to like her a lot less if she does the same shit she did to you back then. I really don’t want you going back to that darkness again.”

Gendry laughs humorously at her honesty, “It’s not. She did what she did because she felt she had to. It was Mel, not her. It’s not the same this time, there’s nothing holding us back. Well except for the obvious.”

“I get it, I just hope everything works out this time, that’s all.”

Gendry turns to face her then, an itch to turn the questions around on her instead of himself, “And Podrick? Is it different this time or is it the same old shit I’ve had to witness for years? You two are good together, it seems everyone else can see it but the two of you. It’s annoying as fuck honestly.”

Hattie smiles and pinches his arm making Gendry to yelp in feigned pain, “Shut up. We’ll figure it out, okay?”

***

After Hattie and Gendry make it back to the hotel to meet up with Podrick and Arya, who secured them a room for the next four day using an alias that Mel doesn’t know about, they quickly change and then meet back up with Davos for dinner at the restaurant and bar inside the hotel they’re staying in.

The five of them chat animatedly through dinner about anything and everything other than the impending mission and Arya is thankful for it. She’s happy to be surrounded by her makeshift family during a time that would otherwise send her mind into a downward spiral thinking of every which way their mission later in the week could go wrong. But she’s determined to not let those dark thoughts take over, she only wants to focus on the present and the company she’s grateful to be in.

Once dinner is over, Hattie and Podrick say goodnight to Davos before leaving him alone with Arya and Gendry in the private dining room he reserved just for their party for the evening, something else Arya is very thankful for.

Davos sits up in his chair, his expression turning rather serious very quickly, “I have a surprise of sorts for you two and tonight is the only night I could make it happen.”

Arya watches wistfully as Davos makes his way over to the door, disappearing behind it for just a second before he appears again, only this time not alone, and she can’t believe what she’s seeing.

She turns back to Gendry who has the same dumbfounded and giddy smile on his face as she does, and they watch as Davos enters the room with Missandei and Grey trailing closely behind.

Arya doesn’t know what to say as tears fill her eyes and she stands up to embrace Missandei in a tight hug, letting a quiet sob slip out while she holds her in her arms.

She vaguely registers Grey and Gendry embracing the same way, she’s just too bewildered to let anything else in at the moment.

She pulls Missandei back for a minute, giving her a good once over, before she’s holding her to her body again.

Missandei laughs as Arya reluctantly pulls away and they all sit down, “It’s good to see you too, love. It’s been far too long.”

Arya looks back at Davos, “I don’t understand, I thought I asked you to keep them in witness protection.”

Davos nods his head and leans back in his chair, “Aye. That I am, dear. There’s been a switch in safe houses, and this was on their way, I thought it might be a good time for a quick visit before I see them along to the safe house.”

Grey turns to Gendry for a split second before looking at Arya, “I’m glad to see you two back together again, Davos couldn’t tell us much, but we’d like to hear the whole story from you, Arry.”

Arya smiles fondly at the name he uses before she dives into telling her friends the whole truth, Gendry holding her hand from his spot beside her the entire time, filling in small gaps as she tells them of her time at MI6 and then having to leave to keep them all safe. The present-day events Davos had already filled them in on.

Missandei looks shook and slightly confused, “Wait, so the night before you left, she _drugged_ us? So that’s why I had a terrible headache the rest of that day, I just assumed it was stress from having you leave without a word, although this one here was worse.”

She nods her head in Gendry’s direction, giving him a sad smile. Arya feels sick thinking about hurting them the way she did.

“I am so sorry I left like that, but I didn’t have a choice.”

She shakes her head before continuing, “I should have just killed her right then and there.”

Gendry squeezes her hand reassuringly, “You did what you had to, and we don’t blame you for it. It’s all in the past and what matters now is that we’re together and we’re going to put an end to her torment.”

They spend the next hour catching up, Arya and Gendry telling them of their adventures since they’ve been reunited and Missandei and Grey telling them of their wedding and the extended honeymoon around the world with their travels. The night back together again feels so familiar and comforting and it ends far too soon as Davos takes them away once more leaving Gendry and Arya alone with only their mission ahead to think about.

***

Although Arya’s mind is clear and focused on what she must do, she can’t help the world wind of emotions clouding her heart as she stands outside the van that Davos and Sam are currently keeping surveillance in. The last few days went by in the blink of an eye, with the time she spent with Gendry tangled in bed sheets to the fight they had the night before about the mission, Arya determined to see things through no matter if it took her life and Gendry getting pissed at her resilience all over again. They made up in more ways than one and now her head sees nothing but Melisandre’s wicked grin being wiped off as all of her secrets are revealed and her life shatters right before her eyes. That’s what’s giving Arya all of her strength at the moment.

Gendry pulls Arya to the side as they wait for Davos and Sam to give them the all clear to enter, leaving Hattie, Podrick and Sandor to their own thoughts several yards away.

They’re as ready as they’ll ever be, clad in all black and bulletproof vests, multiple weapons on all parts of their bodies and Arya watches as Gendry pulls his mother’s penny necklace from around his neck and put in on hers, “What’re you doing? That was your mother’s, she was your whole life, I can’t just take this from you, Gendry.”

He laughs as he rests his forehead against hers, her fingers playing absentmindedly with the grey chain.

“Don’t you get it, _you’re my life_ now.”

The fingers that were twisted around the necklace are now pulling his lips flush against hers in a searing kiss.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Arya rests her forehead against his one more as she thinks about the gesture, “This isn’t a ‘just in case I don’t make it’ gift, Gendry. You’re getting this back when we’re done.”

Gendry laughs as he takes a step back to look at her fully, albeit still in the darkness surrounding them, “Okay.”

Arya looks at him worriedly, “Do you think this is insane, I mean I’m sure others would agree that we’re batshit crazy for trying this.”

Gendry laughs as he takes her hand into his free one, his other holding a tight grip on his assault rifle, “Oh, we’re fucking nuts for sure. But as long as we don’t die, this is gonna be one hell of a story.”

Arya laughs as Sam’s voice cackles over their earpieces, “Is everyone in position? The gala is in full swing and the place is yours for the taking. On my count, breach the southwest entrance and proceed from there. You’ll need to subdue two guards at that entrance.”

Arya and Gendry step on the other side of the van as Gendry gives the go ahead to Sandor, Pod and Hattie across the way.

Sandor takes out the guards quickly, knocking them unconscious before they can ever register what’s happening, staying behind to keep an eye out as instructed by Arya.

Arya and Gendry head for the room they need while Podrick and Hattie cover their six as they make their way through the almost empty building. Samwell had an easy time taking out the security system long enough for them to get in, but something about how easy it’s been so far causes a shiver run down Arya’s spine, she knows in her gut something isn’t right here.

They get to where she needs to be in a matter of minutes, but as soon as she wakes the system, letting the screen illuminate with light, she freezes instantly, blood running cold.

She presses a finger to her earpiece making sure she’d heard as Gendry gives her a painfully worried look, “Guys we have a problem.”

Davos speaks up for them all to hear, “What is it?”

She looks at Gendry as she speaks, “This isn’t the same computer I put the virus on, it’s not here.”

Hattie, from wherever she is in the building with Podrick chimes in, “Then where is it? It has to be here somewhere, maybe it’s in another room. We’ll have to check them all.”

Gendry’s anger is rising fairly quickly, “Fuck! We don’t have time for that!”

Before Arya can agree with Hattie, ultimately causing Gendry’s frustration to rise, the room goes black, the lights are replaced with a dark red glow from the emergency system as loud alarms ring out throughout the building like a lifeline yearning to be heard within screams of terror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't think it was going to be that easy did you? *makes like Raniyah and hides* 
> 
> And yeah, all the mentions of Arya and her friends and family and not being alone anymore is a big FUCK YOU to the way D&D ended Arya's arc in the show. Fucking ridiculous. 
> 
> Another shout out to the creator (find it in the chapter 1 notes if you haven't seen it) of that art that inspired this fic and the quote used on it which I featured in this chapter.


	21. Tell Me Would You Kill, To Save A Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What in the seven hells is wrong with you?!” Yeah, he’s pissed. 
> 
> She narrows her eyes at him, not sure what in particular he is referring to, “Oh, so much, you’re going to have to be a bit more specific.” 
> 
> Hurricane by Thirty Seconds To Mars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to have this done ages ago, but two other one shots I wanted to get out got in the way, so go enjoy those if you want lots of smut and then something creepy for Halloween. Lol
> 
> Warning for violence, mentions of violence and threats of violence!

Present Day: MI6 Facility in King’s Landing

The alarm pierces her ears like the horn of a freight train blowing in the darkened long night, long and blinding and seeming to never end. It’s not helping her concentrate on what’s happening around them. Have they been caught? Is it a distraction? Can they even escape? It needs to stop.

“Sam, stop the damn alarm already!” She yells through her com, hoping the man on the other end can hear her through the screeching siren.

He must have heard her because just seconds later it’s stops, and she feels like she can breathe again, if only for a fleeting moment. The room stays dark, the only light coming through are the illuminated red emergency lights indicating a hostile situation, which she feels has only just begun. She knows getting the alarm to stop is one thing but bringing the place back to full power is another.

“Davos see if you can help Sam work to restore the power. Same, while you’re doing that, I need you to run the serial number I gave you for this computer system to see if it’s here, we don’t have time to check every single room. I’m sure Mel’s men are on their way to us now. Pod, Hattie, what’s it like out there?”

Arya looks at a pissed off Gendry whose lips remain in a hard line and his grip on his gun turns his knuckles white, “We’re fine over here, love. On our way to you.”

Sam’s voice comes through on the other end, shaky and defeated, “Sorry, Ms. Stark but the system you need isn’t there. It doesn’t even appear to be in King’s Landing.”

She knows Melisandre wouldn’t risk destroying it altogether, it’s the only thing that holds her power. Every secret bank account, every dirty little secret that lets her control almost everything these days. Why she didn’t think she’d move it to an unknown location, Arya isn’t sure. She should have figured that out on her own before this point, but it’s too late to dwell on the why now.

Arya sighs and hangs her head, “We have to get out of here, but until the power is restored, that’s going to be impossible. We can get into any room, but at the exits won’t be able to be breached like this.”

She watches as Gendry hangs his head before using all his strength to knock the computer completely off the desk, crashing to the ground loudly and in pieces, “Fuck!”

She’s knows he’s angry that this is happening, but she can’t focus on reassuring him right now. Because she can’t even reassure herself.

“Come on.” Arya motions for him to follow her back down the hall to the same spot they broke off from where they last left Podrick and Hattie to keep guard. Her only assurance is Sandor outside holding down their only defense. She smiles as she hears his familiar grunt from the other end of the com, like he’s reading her mind, knowing she needs confirmation that he’s still out there protecting her.

About the time they round the corner, Pod and Hattie appear, and she can feel the tension subside slightly from Gendry next to her.

“We need to lay low until Sam can find a way to get us out of here. And no guns, we can’t risk attracting anyone to our location with the noise.” She could really use Beric right about now, but that’s another thought she pushes out of her mind for the time being.

Speaking of unsettling noises, just as Arya finishes her sentence a soft voice echoes throughout the building, as if it’s being played on a recorded loop over the sound system. A taunting name haunting them all in a sing song voice, “Nymeria, won’t you come out to play?” 

All eyes focus on Arya as she realizes the face behind the voice, someone she’s been waiting to encounter again after almost a year, “The waif. She was one of Jaqen’s right hand women. Figures she’d turn to Team Mel after his death. She found out then it was because of me, I’ve been waiting on her to come after me all this time.”

With those words, the tension in Gendry’s demeanor resurfaces, and she feels her heart clench in now knowing who they’re up against. 

Podrick speaks up before anyone else gets the chance, “So it’s just her then?”

Arya nods her head, “Most likely, maybe a few goons giving her assistance. It’s most likely she knew we were coming and stuck around to wait. Which is good in a way because it means Melisandre doesn’t know we’re here, at least not yet. If I know the waif like I think I do, she wants me all to herself.”

Gendry’s eyes find hers, piercing blue laced with unhinged fury, “If that’s the case, I’m revoking your no gun’s rule. I’m not letting her get anywhere near you.”

Arya thinks about that for a moment before an idea strikes, “No, that’s exactly what you need to do.”

Again, all eyes on her with unrelenting confusion, “I give you the flash drive and you get as far away from me as possible. She knows I have it so she’ll be after me, which means I can’t have it on me when she does. Gendry, you know if she gets her hands on that then it’s over. Which is why it’s the only way to ensure it’s safety.”

Gendry grabs her arm and pulls her away from the others, “Arya, I’m not leaving you.”

She gives him a sad smile as she releases his hand from her arm, “You have to, we talked about this remember? If it comes down to it, you have to finish the mission, with or without me. My life isn’t worth risking millions of others.”

She pulls the drive out from its place inside her vest and puts it in his hand before closing his fingers around it, “You know this is the only way. I’ll be safe, I promise.”

She steps back over to Hattie and Podrick, feeling Gendry slowly approach behind her, “Podrick, you’ll go with Gendry and make sure you two get out of here with that thing. Do not let them have it, no matter what. Hattie and I will draw the waif away from you to buy you some time and then once you let me know you’re out, we’ll find our way out too.”

Before any of them can argue, another taunt from the waif reverberates in their ears, and they know Arya is right.

“Sam, guide them out.” She grabs Gendry’s face and crashes her lips against his in a searing kiss, devotion and love pouring out in silent plea to let her go, but also in assurance they’ll see each other again soon. She pulls back and whispers for them to go, before she’s pushing him away, tears brimming both blue and grey.

Arya watches as Gendry and Podrick run in the opposite direction before she turns to Hattie, “You got my back?”

Hattie smiles before reaching out her fist for Arya to bump, “Until the end.”

Arya laughs as she bumps her fist, Hattie letting her lead the way into the unknown.

They keep their guard up as they make their way down the red lit halls, turning each corner slower than the last. They stop just before the next hallway, eyeing two men waiting for them about five yards down. With their guns still holstered, Arya motions for Hattie and her to approach with caution, only using brute force to subdue them, or kill if necessary. 

The two men watch as they approach, standing unusually still for people ready to fight, “Hey boys, how’s it going?”

Arya stops just beside Hattie in front of them as they look the women up and down with disgust. She watches as Hattie’s eyes roam from the wall and then up to the ceiling and around and then back again, formulating a plan using only her eyesight. Once Arya picks up on what she’s suggesting she gives her a small nod of approval before grabbing her right arm with her left and lifting her feet off the ground.

They each maneuver up the wall on opposite sides while still holding onto the other, their feel crawling up the wall before landing swiftly into the guards distracted faces, taking them down easily with a few blows to the head.

They find their footing once each guard lays unconscious on the marbled floor, “Find it odd they didn’t put up much of a fight? Kind of anticlimactic if you ask me.”

While Arya agrees with her friend, she says nothing because she knows the sick games the waif likes to play and she’s not waiting around for any of them to find out what she’s up to now.

“We need to keep moving, she can’t be far.”

And just as Arya expected, once they reach the end of the next hallway, there waits her vicious enemy, defiant and unmoving with her hands behind her back like they’re walking straight into her trap. Her blonde hair is down, and the dark smug smile she wears on her pale face grows wider as Arya feels the shiver run down her spine before her world turns to black.

***

If it wasn’t for Podrick right by his side, Gendry’s sure he would have turned around by now and gone after Arya, dragging her kicking and screaming to safety, the mission be damned. But the look in her eyes when she handed him her drive and asked him to get it as far away as possible had him shook to the core and he just knew he had to do exactly as she asked.

They’re stopped at what seems to be a dead end inside the headquarters, a door with no locking mechanism that won’t seem to open near the south entrance, “Sam, get this door open now!”

Gendry’s screaming into the coms and Podrick winces slightly before his face contorts in confusion, “You know I’ve spent my fair share of time here, but this door has never looked this way before. If I remember correctly, it just led to one of the maintenance rooms.”

“Who knows what Mel has been up to these days, this could be a room filled with skeletons for all we know, like _literally_.”

They can hear Sam working furiously to open the door they need, but Gendry doesn’t have time for him to work his magic, “Come on, we have to find another way. Sam forget that door, just stay on us.”

They’re running back the way they came now, headed for the only other side of the headquarters they haven’t tried yet when they’re stopped head on by a large man holding a phone to his ear.

Gendry and Pod hold their stance, guns armed and ready if need be.

“That’s not advisable. Right now, I am the only communication you have with your girlfriend and her blonde friend.”

Gendry’s jaw clenches tightly as he speak directly into his com, “Arya? Arya!”

He looks back at the man in front of them who is smiling wickedly, and it takes everything Gendry has not to shoot him in his smug face right then and there.

“Where the fuck is, she?!” He’s closer now, pointing the gun straight at the man’s head while Podrick remains tensely where he stands.

“Put the gun away Mr. Waters.”

Gendry takes a step back and considers the situation carefully before holstering his gun, Podrick on the other hand doesn’t move.

He rests his hands on his hips before hanging his head, steadying his breathing to control his erratic heart rate. He looks back up at the man standing before him, violence clear behind his blue eyes, “If she’s hurt in any way, I won’t need this gun because I am going to kill you and your friends with my bare hands.”

Before the stranger has a chance to respond, the voice on the other end say something as he hands the phone to Gendry.

He takes it with a shaky hand and puts it up to his ear, “Arya?” His voice breaks with fear as the other end of the line remains eerily silent.

“Not quite.” A woman responds after a brief moment.

“Who am I speaking with?” Gendry keeps his eyes on the man, while keeping a side eye out for Podrick who thankfully still has his gun raised.

“No one. But I have someone here who’d like to speak to you.” She pulls the phone away from her face and Gendry can hear her hushed demand faintly through the speaker, _tell him to bring you the drive, in exchange for your life._

He hears something along the lines of someone spitting before a voice screams and echoes into the phone, “ _Go fuck yourself_!”

Arya.

In that moment he realizes a few things. The waif has her. She knows Arya doesn’t have the drive. She’s demanding Gendry bring it to her in exchange for Arya’s safety. Arya isn’t giving in to her games. Her response is her way of telling the girl it’s never going to happen. It’s her plea to Gendry to stick with the plan and not give in to saving her and ruining everything.

He can’t think straight, the room is spinning, and he wants to hit something. So, that’s exactly what he does.

He drops the phone before charging at the object of his rage, knocking him to the ground with a swift kick to his knee, causing him to lose his balance in surprise at Gendry’s sudden anger. Gendry wastes no time in releasing his pent-up fury, punching the man in the head over and over with both of his fists until blood splatters from his nose and mouth, coating Gendry’s knuckles in bruises and blood.

He doesn’t stop and his muscles are on fire. It’s only when Podrick pulls him off the man does he realize he did exactly what he threatened to do, he ended his life with his bare hands.

“Gendry!” He’s still on the ground as Podrick drags him off the unmoving body. He leans back against the wall, letting the cold concrete cool his skin and his temper. He should feel bad he took another life just now, but he can’t. It’s just another scumbag he took out, same as always during the many days of being a spy. What he _can_ feel is how Arya is being held against her will and there’s not a damn thing he can do about it. He wants more than anything to go after her, but he doesn’t move. Her words play on repeat in his head from their fight the night before, he told her he would do whatever it takes, no matter the danger she faced herself.

He’s now faced with an impossible choice, join Podrick and get the fuck out of here _with the drive_ and _without her_ , or fuck the mission and everything else and go find the woman he loves. He looks over at Podrick who has the same worried face as him, and he knows as much as his friend is worried for both Hattie and Arya’s safety, the look on his face confirms that he believes in Arya’s plan, ultimately bringing Gendry to the same conclusion. 

He slams his head back against the wall, not caring about the stinging pain it causes, “Fuck!” He punches the ground with a bruised fist before he stands up and makes his decision on what to do next.

Podrick waits for a sign as Gendry takes his gun from the waist band of his jeans, “Sam?”

Sam’s voice breaks in their ears, “Ye, Yeah?”

He sighs heavily before his next words come out and he thinks too long about them, “Get us out of here.”

Gendry takes off with Podrick close behind. He’s out of breath the more he runs, both from the exertion and the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He hates this, he hates every fucking thing about it, leaving Arya behind, not knowing if she’ll be able to get out on her own with Hattie.

“Take a right and then your immediate left.”

But it’s what she wants him to do, and he’s determined to not let her down, not anymore. He knows she’s right, stopping Mel and saving lives is much bigger than the two of them, and that’s what he thinks about as his legs ache to pick up speed, counting down the remaining steps until they’ve reached safety.

They don’t stop running even when they see a group of the waif’s men run after them, shooting aimlessly in their direction as they dodge bullets and jolt for the exit, “Sam! We need that door open now!”

As they close the distance, he hears and then sees the return of the electricity as the lights brighten the room and the lock on the door, they’re headed for turns from red to green, granting them access to the outside world.

“Sam, on my cue lock them out.” More bullets fly over their heads as they push the door open and then slams it back shut, “Now, Sam!”

He hears the security system latch the door firmly shut, locking them out and locking the others inside with no way out. If they’re stupid enough to try to shoot their way through, they’ll find out the hard way of what happens when you shoot at a bulletproof door inside MI6.

Podrick starts to walk away as Gendry hesitates before joining him, walking swiftly past his friend, “Let’s get to the rendezvous point before I change my mind and go back and fuck everything up.”

Podrick tries to keep Gendry’s fast pace, “How long should we wait there?”

Gendry tries to keep a calm voice, “However long it takes for them to get out.”

He gives Podrick a quick look before his next question comes out, “And what if they don’t? What if she keeps them there for ransom for the drive?”

Gendry keeps his eyes on the path in front of them as they walk to the edge of the campground two miles away where they know Sandor, Sam, and Davos are waiting.

“Then Gods help those that stand in my way of getting back to her.”

***

Arya keeps her face calm albeit still angry as the waif hangs up the phone in annoyance that she didn’t get her way. And she doesn’t stop the smug grin from appearing either.

“Well then, I guess your boyfriend isn’t coming for you after all.”

Arya takes a chance to look over at Hattie, her eyes telling the blonde everything she needs to know.

Before Arya has time to react to anything else, a series of gunshots are heard somewhere close by and the temporary distraction is just what they need. She watches as all the eyes turn away from where they’re tied to chairs in the middle of the room, and Hattie leans her body down to stick the secondary com hidden in her sleeve in her ear before sitting back up and appearing as if nothing had happened.

They ran through all possible scenarios of things that could happen and decided it was best to have back ups of _everything_.

Sam’s voice rings in through Hattie’s ears, knowing her extra com just came online and now active, “Gendry and Podrick, they ran into some trouble, but they managed to make it safely out and are now on their way to us. I tried not to listen, but it seems Mr. Waters is unsure of what your outcome is going to be, he’s very worried.”

“I have an exit plan set for you, but in order to execute it, you’ll have to free yourselves and lose the tiny scary lady first.”

Arya watches as Hattie smiles to herself, “Not a problem, love. We’re the heroes of our own story.”

She looks at Arya as she says it, also catching the attention of their captures.

The waif looks at Hattie pointedly with curious eyes, but before she can say or do anything, Arya and Hattie are in perfect sync as they stand up, taking their bounded chairs with them, swinging themselves up and backwards to crash the chairs on the waif’s men holding them.

Between the surge of energy, the friction, and the sudden adrenaline rush, they’re able to free themselves from the chairs, hands now able to punch and shoot their way out.

Hattie doesn’t hesitate in emptying her clip into the men in the room, while Arya engages in a physical control for dominance over the waif. She manages to knock the blonde to the ground long enough for her to grab her gun and aim it at her enemy.

The waif stops in place, hands out at her side as she meets Arya’s steely grey eyes. Something in the waif’s stance tells Arya she’s thinking of either running or fighting to the death, now outnumbered in the small room.

She wants to shoot her, she wants to end her reign of terror this moment, and as soon as she sees her reveal a knife from behind her back and lunge forward, she does just that to protect herself and her partner.

She empties her magazine into her chest, watching as she falls lifeless to the floor, and she can’t help but to breathe a sigh of relief that one of her enemies, another threat to the people she loves is no more.

Sam walks them through his escape route, only running into a few straggling guards along the way. Once they make it outside, and he secures the doors behind them, does she take a minute to finally breathe, resting her sweaty palms against her knees attempting to get control over her mind and body.

They stay low and inconspicuous as they tread the two miles to where the others are waiting, Hattie opting to stay silent during the walk which she is eternally grateful for. 

They close the distance a little later, and as the boys come into view, she sees Sandor sitting on the floor of the opened van, Davos and Sam sitting on an old picnic table and Gendry and Podrick deep in slightly heated conversation a few feet away.

Surely, they’re not still worried about their safety and Sam informed them they got out.

No, this looks to be a different kind of intense, a look of betrayal passing over Gendry’s features at the words Podrick is speaking to him.

Once they get close enough to announce their presence, she watches as Gendry closes in on her in a few long strides, crashing his body to hers like he’s had life pushed back into his body. She knows the feeling.

She holds him close with just as much force, but then when he pulls back suddenly, she can’t help the surprise that crosses her face.

“What in the seven hells is wrong with you?!” Yeah, he’s pissed.

She narrows her eyes at him, not sure what in particular he is referring to, “Oh, so much, you’re going to have to be a bit more specific.”

Her attempt at humor to defuse the tension is futile, “You gave the real drive to Podrick and gave me a decoy. You lied to me Arya!”

Shit. She can’t really blame Podrick for telling him, he wouldn’t downright lie to his friend when it wasn’t necessary since they made it out and were on their way back to them.

She pulls him away from the others to explain without anyone listening to the intimacy the conversation is about to bring.

“You gave it to me and said you trusted me, you told me not to come after you as long as I had it and I didn’t, I left you even though it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. But it turns out, it was for nothing, Podrick had the real drive the entire time.” Tears are brimming his blue eyes at the betrayal he feels, which in turn forces her own tears to form knowing she’s the root cause of his.

“I do trust you Gendry, never doubt that. But I knew I was giving you an impossible choice to make. I couldn’t be sure what you would do in the moment if you knew my life was at risk, because I don’t know what _I_ would do if it were _you_ in trouble.”

She grabs the sides of his face and rests her forehead against his, “You can say you’d do as I wished all day long, just as I can ask you for it just as easily. But until that moment comes, until you have the drive in one hand and my safety in the other, you really don’t know what choice you’ll make. So no, I couldn’t give you the real one. I knew Podrick would do the right thing, and I trust him too.”

Gendry crashes his lips against hers just as his tear falls, mixing salty in with the sweet flavor of their kiss and she knows he knows she’s right. She pulls her lips away from his, “Thank you for making the impossible choice though, I don’t know if I’d be that strong.”

He pushes a strand of loose hair behind her ear, “Let’s hope you’ll never have to come face to face with that kind of decision. It’s not a pleasant one.”

She doesn’t say anything, only rests her head against his chest to feel the beating of his heart, knowing for certain it beats for her.

After a few moments of privacy, they join the others, Podrick speaking for the group first, “The waif?”

Arya sighs into Gendry’s side, “Dead. Along with a few others.”

The night is quiet, save for the wind blowing the trees surrounding them and the silence among the small group is deafening. Sandor breaks it asking the same thing that they’re all thinking, “Well what the fuck do we do now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll this was a lot, so please ignore any tiny plot holes like I obviously did. Lol


	22. She's So Rock Steady, And She's Always Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She watches Gendry smirk from underneath his drink in her direction, “Relax, love. She was only interested in taking me home tonight. Nothing to worry about.”
> 
> “Nothing to worry about, really? So, I suppose that wasn’t your phone number you wrote down on that napkin then?”
> 
> He laughs into his earpiece and it makes her shiver with pleasure, “No, it was yours.”
> 
> Black Betty by Ram Jam (multiple covers are good too)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter because it's more a filler than anything else, necessary to move us to where we need to go.

Present Day- Blackhaven

It’s been three days since their plan had fell through and almost cost them their lives. Without an actual plan of what would happen if they failed and made it out in one piece, they had limited options, therefore forcing them to take the precaution of holding up at the safe house in Blackhaven, the safest place Arya could think of what with all the security measures Gendry has procured inside for himself, and now all seven of them. Even Sandor agreed to stay, which surprised Arya immensely, but she didn’t dwell on it, taking what she could get from the old man.

Even Davos agreed to stay put, afraid that word would get out of his involvement, no matter how many steps he took to secure his position remained unharmed within the agency. So, with most of the guest rooms full of each having their own, save for Hattie and Podrick who started out with one of their own, but eventually came to share one, the past three days have been relatively quiet.

Arya wouldn’t even have known of their sharing, had it not been for a late snack and witnessing Hattie sneak into Podrick’s room, the only thing she received from Hattie in that moment was a quick wink and smile, to which Arya just smiled back, going about her own path and found herself within her own love’s sheets once again.

Three days of silence within the house. Three days of silence within the agency, Sam doing his best to listen for chatter amongst the closed frequency only the agents have access to. Three days of blissful peace and ignorance regarding what their next step is. Until now at least. Arya knows they need to figure out their next move and she also knows Gendry will have a heated opinion about it.

“No, there’s no way, we’re trying this again, not after I almost lost you last time.”

She expected as much from him during this particular discussion as they all occupy the couches in the living room, Arya and Gendry on one, Hattie and Pod on the other along with Sam and his laptop. Davos opts for the chair and Sandor remains standing by the fireplace, usual scowl and demeanor, she assumes to let her know he’s still in the game, no matter what she decides to do now.

She told him that they needed to find the real location of the computer they need and execute another breach, to finish what she started. He’s not okay with that.

“Come on, Gendry. You know it’s the only way, we don’t have any other options, her secrets are too well kept.”

He’s pacing now, with that look of utter fear on his face, fear for her safety. She can’t really blame him.

Hattie looks at Arya and then back up at Gendry, who’s eyes are still trained on the floor as he wears out the carpet in his own house, “She’s right you know. You haven’t been with the agency in a year, mate. Melisandre’s power is unbreakable, there is no other way, and she knows that too. That’s why she moved the computer in the first place. We just need the location, and we’ll know what to expect this time. Except the unexpected. We’ll be ready.”

Sam clears his throat nervously before entering his opinion, “I agree with both Ms. Shaw and Ms. Stark, as much as I have never been one for a confrontation or violence, I have to agree.”

Podrick nods his head, “Aye.”

“Bloody hell, is anyone here going to agree with me that it’s too dangerous for Arya?!”

Arya’s lips form the hint of a smile when she realizes no one is going to stand up against her plan, much to Gendry’s displeasure.

She needs to get Gendry on board with this, and she knows she can’t do that here.

“Sam, see if you can find anything useful on where that computer might be. Gendry, come with me.”

Sam nods at her before he begins typing away on his laptop, as she grabs Gendry by the arm, leading him to his bedroom on the other end of the house.

Once the door is close, she wastes no time in crashing her lips against his, pushing him against the door with her own body hoping she’s pouring all of her unspoken feelings into the action.

She pulls back and rests her forehead against his, feeling his hot breath mix in with hers as her hands find either side of his face, “I know you’re scared. I am too, but this is bigger than you and me. This is about doing what’s _right_ , and you know this is what’s right, Gendry. It’s why I lied to you about giving you the real drive last time, it’s what has to be done.”

She watches as his eyes close in pain, his voice barley a whisper, “I can’t lose you, Arry. I can’t, I’d rather die.”

She ignores the pool of tears forming in her grey eyes as she presses her lips to his once more, “I know, trust me. But we have to do this, we have to try, or we’re going to regret it every day for the rest of our lives. This is it, our last shot at freedom and to save everyone that she’s hurt, everyone that she’s _hurting_.”

He releases a heavy sigh as he buries his face in the crook of her neck, warm liquid landing on her skin of his own sadness and she knows that no matter how much he disagrees with her plan, he’ll always be by her side, no matter what.

His voice his muffled as his mouth is still pressed to her skin, “Okay.”

“Okay.” She repeats as she runs a soothing hand over the back of his head, keeping him in place for as long as she possibly can.

After a moment alone that ends far too soon, they finally emerge back into the living room with the others, hand in hand, ready to formulate a plan that hopefully won’t end up in smoke this time around, “Please tell me you found that location, Sam.”

Sam looks defeated, “I’m sorry, no.”

Hattie leans her elbows against her knees, hands folded in front of her, “Well if we can’t find the location itself, we need to find someone who knows themselves. Someone close to Melisandre and Stannis.”

Podrick sits up, concentrating on her words, “Right, but it can’t be someone directly related to the agency, too risky. It needs to be an outside source with information we don’t have.”

Everyone, save for Sandor by the door to the patio, ponders that thought, Arya being the first one to come to some sort of a lead, “Davos, do you remember when I was in training, how Mel would have me in that one room closest to her private office. Not the one everyone knew about, but the other one…”

She trails off, hoping her words are enough to spark the memory, “Aye. I remember, dear. Why do you ask?”

“She used to have someone she would meet around the same time twice a week, every week that I was in training. A man with blonde hair I think, always wore a fancy suit.”

“Yes, I remember the lad. She never spoke about him and I never asked. Do you think he could be of help?”

“I don’t know, maybe. He could be her lawyer, or personal accountant or something. Do you know if he still comes around?”

“I believe so,” he turns to Sam then, “Do you think you could hack the video surveillance and track him down?”

Sam nods and after Davos gives him the information about the mystery person he needs, he begins his search, leaving the others with nothing to do but wait with uncertainty.

After a few agonizingly slow minutes, Sam turns his screen to face Arya, “Is this him? He’s an accountant with one of the highest and most notorious reputation’s in King’s Landing.”

Arya smiles, feeling the first bit of hope in three days, “Yes, that’s him. Track his financials and give us a place he frequents to find him. We’re going to need his cell phone in order to get what we want, if he’s on Mel’s payroll, he’s not going to give up that information easily, nor can he know who we are and what we’re after.”

“If we get his passwords, I or Sam can hack his client’s accounts and get our hands on all of Mel’s personal records, including property she owns. If she’s as smart as I think she is, she’s not going to have this thing anywhere near where MI6 or the government can get their hands on it, no this is more valuable to her than anything else. She’ll have her own minions protecting this. I underestimated her once, I’m not doing it again.”

Sam types furiously without fail and a moment later his face lights up, causing Arya to relax into Gendry’s embrace on the couch, “I found something, a club he’s at every Saturday night in King’s Landing, I can hack the guest list and get us on with a few aliases.”

Arya sits up, “Perfect. Sam and Davos will keep watch in the van, Sandor by the exits while the others will be inside. The guys will need suites, and us new dresses, and I’ll need a bit of a bigger disguise. If anyone eyes me in King’s Landing, we’re going to have bigger problems to worry about.”

***

Saturday night comes by faster than anticipated and her nerves are shot before the night has even begun. She fiddles with the pink wig she’s wearing along with trying to keep the blue strapless dress from falling down her chest, revealing more of herself than she’d like it too.

But the dress and the wig, along with the black hat she’d pick out to go with it were a necessary measure to take, hiding almost all of her true natural features to keep from being spotted by the wrong person.

Once Hattie is finished with her own ensemble, she finds Arya in the living room area of their hotel room in downtown King’s Landing.

“Wow, you look amazing, love. The pink really suits you.”

Arya smiles and wonders if Gendry would feel the same, considering he hasn’t seen her yet as the others are already waiting for them at the club.

“You clean up pretty nice as well, you ready to go charm the socks off some poor bloke to get what we want and ruin his night thinking he could have the likes of either of us?”

She twists her hips as she makes her way over to the mirror Hattie is standing in front of, meeting her reflection through it, “Of course. This is the fun part of the job.” She winks at Arya who only smiles and shakes her head in return, never having had the opportunity before to have this much fun with another woman on the job before. She realizes in that moment just how much of her life that was taken away by Melisandre using her for her own personal gain.

Had she joined MI6 on other circumstances and had a normal job within the agency, she would have had an abundance of moments like this, with fellow agents she could call friends and family. She’s ready to put an end to Mel’s power, no matter the cost and if they somehow manage to come out of this fight alive, she’s going to live the best life and make up for all the lost time. She’s sure of it.

Once in range, she can already make out Sam, Podrick and Gendry in a full depth conversation regarding their surroundings. Gendry is inside the club waiting at the bar, while Podrick takes up a seat at a table near the entrance, Sam and Davos in their respected places inside the van and Sandor by the exit, looking more like a security guard of the place than anything else, which earns him tight lips from any of the employees, too scared to approach to run him off.

Arya and Hattie exchange knowing smirks as the unsuspecting bouncer lets them enter without protest, bodies flowing easily through the entrance as they get into character as soon as they’re through the door, the music buzzing loudly around them.

“ _You beatin’ the drum, like dum di di dey, I love the dirty rhythm you play. I wanna hear you callin’ my name like hey mama mama, hey mama mama, hey_.”

Her heart beats in her chest as the music pounds in her ears, the easy flow of the atmosphere surrounding her like a thick fog threatening to engulf her at any moment and if not for Gendry’s eyes meeting hers across the room, she just might have let it.

She can’t fathom how bloody fucking gorgeous he is with his all black suit and sparkling blue eyes, eye fucking her from where she stands next to Hattie.

“Please tell me that wig is yours to keep.”

She laughs under her breath, “Yes.”

“Good, because you’re definitely wearing that again.”

“That’s enough you two,” although Hattie’s tone appears annoyed, her face is anything but as she smiles mischievously next to her, “Sam, has the target arrived yet?”

“Not yet, sorry.” Sam sounds defeated and she can’t blame him, they’ve had too many setbacks so far.

“Let is know the moment you spot him.”

Arya and Hattie find their way to an empty table across the room, giving them full observance of both Gendry at the bar and Podrick on the other side, along with the exit Sandor occupies.

Arya’s eyes darken as a tall blonde makes her way over to Gendry, sliding in the bar stool easily next to him, giving him her full attention and access to a full view of her large chest.

She can’t quite make out what is being said, as Gendry barely says a word to the woman, but she sees red as soon as she sees Gendry write something down on a napkin before handing it to her seductively.

“Sweetheart, I really don’t want to have to leave any dead bodies here tonight.”

She watches Gendry smirk from underneath his drink in her direction, “Relax, love. She was only interested in taking me home tonight. Nothing to worry about.”

“Nothing to worry about, _really_? So, I suppose that wasn’t your phone number you wrote down on that napkin then?”

He laughs into his earpiece and it makes her shiver with pleasure, “No, it was _yours_.”

Fuck, the same shiver appears again, sending heat and wetness straight to her core, “Good boy.”

He laughs but before anyone has a reply, Sam’s voice appears in a higher pitch than usual, “He’s here, just walked in and is heading for the VIP section.”

Hattie turns to her then, “You ready? Sam, can you get us on that list?”

“I can, but it’s going to take some time.”

Arya is already standing up, Hattie following her lead, “We don’t have time for that, we’ll just have to get creative, we can’t risk him leaving beforehand.”

Gendry’s voice chimes in, no hint of amusement whatsoever, “What are you going to do?”

Hattie smiles before speaking, “Something you don’t have the balls for, love.”

Arya laughs softly, “She’s right, this is a woman’s job. You just stay there and look pretty.”

Arya and Hattie saunter over to the red velvet rope, blocking off entrance to the VIP section, gaining the attention from their target and a few other curious eyes.

Arya pouts, putting on her best show, “Oh come on, can you just let us in for this one night? It’s been a hell of a week and we just want to have some fun.”

Hattie wraps her arm around Arya’s shoulders, pulling her close to her side, “She’s really needs it mate, her boyfriend just left her for another man. She needs a really good distraction and these fine gentlemen look like they could do the trick.” She smiles and winks at the target and that seems to be enough as he makes his way over to the bouncer and ushers him to let them through.

Arya listens as Gendry’s voice reverberates in her ear, “Nice touch Hattie, but that’s never going to happen, no matter how bloody handsome Podrick is.”

Arya hides her laugh under a shy hand over her mouth as they make themselves comfortable on the red couch, sizing up the others around them according to how big of a threat or a distraction they’ll be.

After a few minutes of conversation and handsy flirting, Arya gives Hattie a nod as she takes her chance to retrieve his phone from inside his coat pocket. Arya’s hands roam over his chest and with one swift movement she has his phone in her hand, pulling it out of his suit while Hattie keeps his mind focused on her as she whispers incoherent words into his ear that seem to keep all his energy on the blonde next to him rather than herself.

She slides the phone to Hattie behind where he is sitting and she slides it up the sleeve of her dress easily as he gets up from off the couch, clears his throat and heads to the restrooms.

She motions for Arya to follow her to the bar, “What did you say to him?”

“I told him we we’re going to meet him in the loo for a little more fun after we did a shot at the bar. Safe to say, he took the bait.”

Podrick laughs while Gendry agrees with his enthusiasm, “Bloody fool not too. Poor bloke, doesn’t even know he’s completely out of your league, love.”

“Yeah, well so are you, so don’t you forget it.”

She gets closer to Gendry and watches him smile brightly, eyes crinkling with amusement, “Never.”

“Let’s go, we only have a few minutes before he realizes we stiffed him.”

They all make their way out the back exit with Sandor and to the van with the bloke’s phone as Davos starts it up and heads back to the hotel.

Hattie slips the phone from her sleeve and gives it to Sam, “Please tell me I didn’t lose a little piece of self-respect for nothing, Tarly.”

“I’ll try my best, but if it makes you feel any better, you still have the upmost respect from me, Agent Shaw.”

While Sam works his magic on the way back to the hotel, Arya leans into Gendry’s warm embrace, playing absentmindedly with her wig as he gives her a small smile, “You look beautiful, love. A little less dangerous than usual though.”

“Don’t get used to it.” She rolls her eyes next to him as they reach their destination, all gathering back inside her hotel room to finish extracting the information they need via Sam’s laptop and the target’s phone.

They’re gathered around Sam as he lets them know he’s accessed a small list of personal property owned by Melisandre herself and not some shell corporation or anything or anyone connected to the agency. He flips the screen around so Arya can view it’s contents, “Do any of these addresses stick out to you, my guess is she’s holding it at one of them, off the radar.”

Arya studies the list for a moment before her blood runs cold and she feels the color drain from her place at a familiar road highlighted on the screen.

Gendry, knowing her so well, tenses besides her, “What is it, do you know where she’s keeping it?”

Arya nods her head slowly, unable to form full sentences at the moment. Of course Mel would have it there, someplace she knew Arya would be too scared to return to, a place that holds too many painful memories that if she were to ever step foot there again, she’d most likely be too vulnerable to be able to fight back with full strength and precision.

She points to the first address on the list, “It’s there.”

Gendry looks at the screen and then back to her, “Are you sure? How do you know?”

“Because it’s Winterfell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have the remaining chapters outlined, so we're getting to the beginning of the end, party people.
> 
> Still with me? 
> 
> I love you all!


	23. Chain Keep Us Together, Running In The Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you think that if things had ended up differently for me, we’d still have met?”
> 
> Gendry keeps his eyes focused on the dark road ahead of them, eyes narrowing slightly at her question, head subtly turned in her direction, “Define differently.”
> 
> She turns to face him in her seat, her head resting against the window that once occupied her full attention moments ago, a moment that is passed, “Like if my parents never died and I didn’t run away. If I had a normal life, do you still think our paths would have crossed?”
> 
> He takes a deep breath, contemplating the depths of her question, “I’d like to think so. I think that we would still have ended up together no matter what.”
> 
> The Chain By Fleetwood Mac (HIGHLY RECOMMEND LISTENING TO BEFORE OR DURING)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See note about the chapter song.^
> 
> So yeah, things are happening. Welcome to the final leg of this beast. Enjoy.

Present Day: King’s Landing

“Are you sure, dear?” Davos looks at her skeptically, although she’s unsure as to why, surely by now he should know that she knows what she’s talking about. Perhaps, he’s just as worried about getting the information right as to avoid any problems just as she is. The tension is high, and everyone is on guard more than ever now that one attempt at taking down Mel has failed and they’re sure to be on her radar as traitors, at least to anyone that doesn’t know the whole story. So basically, the entire world, making them utterly _fucked_ in all sense of the word.

“Yes, I’m positive.” She nods her head in surety and the look Davos gives her in return is a reassuring one. He believes her, but that alone doesn’t make her feel any better about the information they have just uncovered.

She confided in Melisandre once when she was just a child about her fears and emotional incapability to ever return back home. Now, as an adult it’s less a fear of her own emotions that would spring forth once she goes back, but a fear for her family’s safety if she were anywhere near them while there is still a hit out on her life. The director, it seems, has used her vulnerability to her advantage, forcing her hand to do something she doesn’t want to do. But she won’t let her win, not this time and not ever.

She watches as Sam closes the laptop once he’s saved the location from his seat on the couch and she winces when she turns to the man now pacing around the room, at the way Gendry’s face contorts in pain and an expression she can’t quite name. Fear? Apprehension? Unrelenting devotion? All of the above perhaps. He’s shown her time and time again since they’ve reunited that there’s nothing that he wouldn’t do for her, and she knows he’s not about to give up on that notion now, or anytime soon for that matter.

She stands up then, all eyes following her movements, “Right. Looks like I’m going home.”

Gendry stops his pacing and gives her a pained look that suggests he’s silently asking her if she wants to rethink that statement.

She shakes her head and closes her eyes, brushing off his silent plea, “We don’t have a choice. She may very well know we’re coming but she doesn’t know when. If we leave tonight, we may get the upper hand and beat her to whatever it is she’s planning next to stop us. Her attempt in Naath to end me failed and I have no doubt she’s going to start getting desperate very soon, especially after I killed the waif, I mean we weren’t exactly subtle about the pile of bodies we left behind that night. We need to leave King’s Landing as soon as possible.”

Arya walks over to where Gendry stands and lays her hand gently on his forearm in comfort, “It would be best not to be seen arriving across the northern line together. Hattie and Podrick should lead in, getting a head start on the rest of us. Davos with Sam and Sandor and then Gendry and I last.” She turns to the others as she says the last part, gauging everyone’s reaction to her words. 

Sandor grunts in confirmation, not arguing with her plan but still making a point of his own, “And do you have a place for us to lay low, girl? We need somewhere off the books; she’s going to know all of _your_ hiding spots.”

Damn, she knows he’s right. Anywhere she names is sure to be compromised, if not already. It’s only when Sam awkwardly clears his throat is, she broken out of her current train of thought, “I... I might have a place, actually.”

Gendry, now growing more and more impatient, waves his arm in the air as if he means for Sam to continue without further hesitation, “Well, it’s not in Winterfell exactly, it’s farther north, closer to the wall. My father and brother used to go hunting that way, way up there, too cold for my liking, but they always told me of a cabin they’d use that my father eventually bought just before he died. We’ll have to travel through Winterfell to get there, but I do believe it will be secluded enough for us to not be seen. It hasn’t been used in years.”

Arya shakes her head, agreeing to go with Sam’s suggestion, not having any other options, “Okay then, send us the address and let’s get going. I want to get there before day-break.”

After going over the intricate details of the travel plans, Arya and Gendry are the last ones left in the hotel room, giving the others enough time to get on the road to avoid suspicion.

Gendry is sitting on the couch with his hands folded together in front of him when Arya finishes following the others out and joins him, sliding into his lap easily with her arms around his neck, “Where’s your head at, bull?”

She strokes his hair as he looks tenderly up at her, “She did this to draw you out, either scare you into submission or for you to follow through and go home, knowing you’d be flooded with painful memories that could make you vulnerable enough for her to hurt you. And that fact alone makes me want to kill her even more. She’s destroyed your life, Arya, and I hate her for it.”

He rests his head on her chest, holding her close while she continues the soft stroking of her fingers through his hair, “I could tell you I’ll be fine, but I don’t want to lie to you. Because the truth is, I don’t know how I’m going to feel. Winterfell is a part of my past I haven’t thought about revisiting until all this was over, when my head was clear, and my heart was in the right place. Now, having to go back in the middle of this mess, I really don’t know what’s going to happen when we get there. But I know that I can try to be strong as long as you’re right there by my side.”

His voice is a little muffled from the close proximity of his head buried in space between her breasts but his words and the meaning behind them are as clear as day, “I’m not going anywhere, love. That I have no doubt about.”

“I love you, stupid.”

“I love you too, milady.” He smiles slightly and she leans down to gently kiss his lips, which he returns eagerly, pulling her deeper into his lap as he sits back further into the couch, pulling her with him. 

He deepens the kiss before moving his lips to her jawline and neck, seeking everything he’s after with the trail of his tongue on her skin.

“Gendry, we don’t…” She wants to tell him they don’t have time for this, time to get lost in the moment of passion. She knows they don’t, but she also knows that the threat against them is closer than ever and they might not get another chance like this, something she tries desperately to not think about. So instead, she lets herself get lost in the moment of his body pressed to hers, giving in all too easily.

“Never mind.” She says breathlessly as she pulls his face back to hers, crashing her lips against his feverishly, savoring the moment in the back of her mind, committing it her memory like it’s the last one she’ll have of them together.

He stands up and lifts her off the couch as she wraps her legs around his waist, letting him carry her to the bed as she gravely attempts to remove him from his clothing, that need to feel skin on skin screaming at her inside her head. Long gone is her pink wig from the mission this night and now the dress she had on is lost with it, leaving nothing remaining as Gendry presses his body into hers, causing her back to arch with the sensation of his lips sweeping across her sensitive skin.

One finger, then two find her slick folds, swollen and waiting to be ravished by the man on top of her. Grey meets blue as she deciphers the emotions filling his eyes. Lust, definitely, with them it’s always there along with the love and adoration felt for one another. But what comes with that love now is also fear and uncertainty.

Something else she moves to the back of her mind, not ready to let those feelings swallow her whole just yet as she guides his pulsing erection inside her, urging him to fill her completely as her walls clench around him with their arousal, her body feeling as if it’s a blaze and the only thing that can put it out is a moment of unrelenting desire they both crave, chasing that sweet relief until they can’t stand up straight.

His thrusts become more frantic, as her hands tangle in his hair and then grab onto the firm muscles in his shoulders as he ardently pushes himself deeper inside of her, leaving his mark on her skin with each push and pull, and she never wants this moment to end.

They come together, moaning and sighing each other’s names before whispers of _I love you_ ’s are spoken, followed by sweet, tender kisses.

***

Their stolen moment together ends all too quickly and before she realizes it, they’re leaving the hotel room behind and seeking out a reliable vehicle to _borrow_ , for their trip up north with the flash drive tucked securely away in a travel safe in her bag. She’s quiet the first couple of hours of the drive, not really having anything to say as her mind drifts to the past and the what ifs. What if her family never died and she didn’t run away and meet Melisandre? Would her and Gendry still have met and be what they are to each other today? Or would she have a completely different path altogether?

She stares out the passenger side window, marveling at the night sky as the miles fly by, her mind drifting back to a simpler time, back when her family was still alive, and she was just a child causing trouble for everyone around her. She supposes some things never change.

The king’s road is desolate this time of night, to which that she’s thankful, lessening their chance of running into unwanted trouble, something she knows is always lurking like a thief in the night ready to strike.

The drive through the Riverlands has her thinking more and more about her relationship with Gendry, something about the landscape causes her to feel nostalgia, both for their past and their future together, whatever that may be.

“Do you think that if things had ended up differently for me, we’d still have met?”

Gendry keeps his eyes focused on the dark road ahead of them, eyes narrowing slightly at her question, head subtly turned in her direction, “Define _differently_.”

She turns to face him in her seat, her head resting against the window that once occupied her full attention moments ago, a moment that is passed, “Like if my parents never died and I didn’t run away. If I had a normal life, do you still think our paths would have crossed?”

He takes a deep breath, contemplating the depths of her question, “I’d like to think so. I think that we would still have ended up together no matter what.”

She smiles even though he can’t see it, “So, you think we’re soulmates? Like we were destined to find each other? All that sappy shit?”

He smiles too and the sight of it illuminated in the darkness warms her to the touch, “Well without gushing out too much of that _sappy shit_ , yes. I think I would be gravitated towards you no matter what kind of life we both led. I mean you’re too much of a pain in my ass for me to get away with _not_ having you be a thorn in my side, no matter which lifetime.”

Arya laughs and leans over to pinch his arm, causing him to yelp in feigned pain, “Thanks. Thanks for that. I love you too.”

She folds her arms over her chest pretending to pout at his teasing, but she can’t pretend too much, because she knows he’s right. She too feels as if they would be together in any life, never being able to really be separate from the other.

He grabs her hand and gives it a delicate kiss before intertwining their fingers together and settling them in his lap, content with staying just like that for as long as possible. And she lets him without question.

Maybe they could just stay like this and drive until they fall off the ends of the Earth.

***

She doesn’t remember falling asleep, only when her eyes flutter open slowly does, she realize they’ve reached the neck and are beginning their drive into the north, white snow covering almost every inch of ground like a blanket for as far as she can see.

While they drive, memories flood her mind of what being in the north used to feel like, what home felt like, of what it feels like again. It feels like a cascade of love on the days she’d come home from school in the winter to Jon and Robb waiting to ambush her with a flurry of snowballs. It feels like all the fights and arguments she ever had with Sansa, that would end up with the two of them hashing out their disagreements to their mother, eager to get the siblings to talk again. It feels like the moment when her parents sat down all the siblings and told them of another baby boy their mother was soon to be having.

It feels like love and peace and everything she’s missed over the years, comforting her in her times of need and grief.

Grief.

It also feels like the moment when she realized half of her family was dead. When she realized she’d never get the luxury of fighting and then making up with her mother over something so insignificant. Of laughing with her brothers. Piggyback rides from Robb. Late night conversations with her dad.

It feels like death is engulfing her and she can’t breathe. She tries to stay calm, but the sweat on the back of her neck would suggest otherwise. It’s hot, and it’s too much and she’s not sure she can do this anymore. She knew coming to the north would be a mistake.

She rolls down the passenger window halfway, letting the cold air fan her face, hoping relief would wash over her and calm her erratic heartbeat. A calm before the storm, perhaps.

She removes her green cargo coat and watches as Gendry adjusts the grey beanie atop his head before turning to chance a glance at her in between watching the road and making sure she’s okay, “Do you need me to stop?”

Her brown hair ruffles in the wind and she closes her eyes, letting it take over, “No, just keep driving. I’ll be fine. This is the hardest part.”

He grabs her hand and squeezes it tightly around his, showing her that he’s here and he’ll be whatever comfort she needs.

He feels like home.

“Just talk to me, distract me. Please.”

Once her jacket is removed, she folds the fabric in her lap and focuses all of her energy and attention on Gendry.

He laughs, eyes crinkling the way they always do, “Did I ever tell you about the time Grey and I dressed up as Salt and Pepa for Halloween in high school?”

“What? That’s a little racist and distasteful, Gendry.” She laughs as his face scrunches in confusion, distraction working.

“What? No, not the spices, you dork. Salt-N-Pepa the musical duo from the eighties?”

Arya’s eyes widen and her laugh comes out in silent breaths, mouth split into a wide grin at the new information, “No fucking way? I would have paid to see that!”

“Yeah, we got drunk and even made a up a dance to _Push It_ and now every time Grey gets drunk, he insists on a performance. I have to stop drinking around that man.”

Still laughing, Arya settles back into her seat, her attention now focused on a pair of headlights blinding her in the side mirror. She watches as the vehicle in question remains at a safe distance, but still follows them for several miles down the foggy King’s Road.

Her worries about being tailed dissipate when the vehicle makes a turn, leaving them alone on the road once again as Gendry continues with his tales of him and Grey’s crazy adventures throughout the years of being best friends.

The stories get crazier and crazier and with the momentary amusement, she doesn’t even realize that they’re so far up north, Winterfell is already behind them as they continue along the king’s road, now between her childhood home and Castle Black, only less than twenty miles from their destination, deep in the heart of the true north.

The headlights return again, only this time she can’t tell if it’s the same vehicle as before, although something about this one makes her skin crawl, forcing her to test the theory of whether or not they are actually being followed.

She waits and watches for a few more miles before telling Gendry to make a right turn, him doing so without question.

She feels his eyes on hers, watching her watch behind them carefully as she tells him to make another turn, not specifying this time which way to go.

He waits through another intersection before making a left turn, the car behind them still following closely behind. She feels the panic start to creep in, but then it quickly fades from her body when the car she thought was following them, makes another turn and ultimately disappears.

“They had been following for a while, I thought maybe…”

She trails off as Gendry grabs her hand, not needing her to finish her thought. She turns her body to take another look out the back, eyes focused on nothing as the night fades away.

Arya turns to Gendry as his eyes meet hers, giving her a small smile and when she finally turns back to the front, does she see the missile flare heading towards them, a little too late for a clear warning as her voice turns to a sound of terror.

“Gendry, look out!”

At the frantic panic of Arya’s scream, he turns his focus back on the road just as the flash of red lands underneath the front of the car, causing it to fly into the air and then land back on the ground, upside down a few feet away, smoke and debris littering a destructive path in the snow.

The red glowing light sits in the middle of the concrete slab they call a road, illuminating their shadows, sending a clear path their way.

Her head hurts, ringing sounds pounding profusely in her ears as she struggles to keep her eyes open. Somehow in the midst of the wreckage, she manages to climb out, crawling on hands and knees through shattered glass, her uneven breathing coming out in puffs of smoke in the freezing chilly northern air.

It takes more effort than she wants to give at the moment, to crawl to the other side of the vehicle where Gendry waits. His eyes are closed and aside from a small cut on his nose and a bloodied arm that landed in the metal on the ground, he appears to be fine.

“Gendry!” She shakes him violently, tears streaming down her red cheeks as she tries to bring him back to consciousness.

With one more good shake and an ear-piercing squeal of pain, his eyes open abruptly, wide with fear before wincing in pain.

“Fuck! Arya, you are okay, are you hurt?!” He’s panicking about her safety, never mind his own. Typical.

“You’re hanging upside down in a wrecked mini van and you’re worried about me? Stupid!”

She unbuckles his belt and helps him crawl out of the van before he leans against the side and grabs his abdomen in pain.

So, he didn’t get out as unscathed as she thought.

“I think I broke some ribs and it really hurts to breathe.”

She lowers her head and then turns to the commotion she can hear down the road and through the trees, dim headlights starting out small but gradually getting larger. They’re coming for them and they’re stuck, caught in their trap. 

“You have to get out of here. Get the drive and run.”

“Not without you.”

He holds his bruised ribs and hisses in pain when Arya runs her cold fingers over the blue, swollen skin, “No, I’m not leaving you.” She shakes her head as more tears fall, hot and uninviting through broken eyes.

“I can’t walk, love. If I move too suddenly, I could puncture a lung. You have to leave me here; you have to get to safety.”

“I...” There’s a lump in her throat and she’s sobbing now, “I _can’t_.” She pulls his face to hers for a kiss, tasting of salt and sweat from the adrenaline and the tears. He pulls her down for one more before pushing her away.

The headlights are getting closer and they’re running out of time to come up with a reasonable plan.

“Dammit, Arya! Get the fuck out of here right now!” His hand stays on his side as he finds his footing, standing up to tower over her.

“You bastard! You _can_ walk, you just don’t _want_ to!” She’s pissed now and it shows as angry tears sting her face.

He doesn’t care.

“They’re _not_ getting to you, Arya.” He pulls the gun out from the waistband of his jeans and hands it to her as she stares reluctantly up at him, tears making her vision blurry. His blue eyes burn into hers and she can feel his fury radiating off of him like rolling clouds of thunder waiting to burst at any moment.

His jaw clenches and he has death in his eyes, she supposes he’s not going to give her any other choice.

She steps towards him and he steps back, like opposite ends of a magnet yielding from the other, tears still spring from her heavy eyes, now laced with rage and anger at him for doing this to her. For forcing her to turn her back on him when that’s the last thing on Earth she wants to do. He’s not going anywhere, and she can’t make him. She can either stay here and be taken with him or she can flee to safety, _alone_. 

He wants it to be the latter, but she can’t seem to move her feet from where she stands.

She thinks back to the night they broke into the MI6 facility in King’s Landing, to when Gendry had made the choice to keep the drive safe for the good of the mission rather than ruin everything and come after her.

“There’s no time to argue, Arya. You have to go now, I’ll distract them long enough for you to get away, I’ll convince them I traveled alone. But you have to go. _I love you, now go_.”

As the enemy draws near, she grabs the bag containing the drive from the wrecked car, gives Gendry a final kiss before she forces all of her energy into getting as far away from the crash site as possible. Her jelly like legs turning to stone with each passing step. She wonders just how far she’ll get before everything comes crashing down around her just as it already has. 

She’s running aimlessly through the woods, wandering in no direction in particular, just anywhere that isn’t _there_. She hears voices now, faint but clearly yelling, taunting. She keeps her feet moving but looks back over her shoulder just in time to see a stranger aim a gun at Gendry who remains coerced into keeping his hands raised in surrender. The man kicks his legs out from underneath him, sending Gendry toppling over to the ground in pain, before being pistol whipped unconscious.

Her lungs are on fire and her heart feels like it’s about to explode out of her chest, and yet she finds the willpower to keep going, despite the odds stacked against her.

Wolves howl in the distance, the moon lights the path ahead of her and she shivers in the cold wind. She has no jacket, her head is bleeding from the crash, she has no fucking clue where she is or even if the man, she loves is still alive.

She grips the bag that’s slung over her shoulder even tighter as she fights to not give into the darkness as she runs through the shadowed woods. She wants to rest, wants to stop but she knows if she does, she’ll be susceptible to whoever ambushed them back on the King’s Road.

She’s ran for miles now and she can’t take it anymore, she hasn’t seen a damn thing in the desolate nature and her heart is breaking into a million pieces.

She knew with every fiber in her being that this could go wrong in the worst of ways, and now it has. They have Gendry, and he’s as sure as dead if she knows him like she thinks he does. He’ll die before he ever gives her up.

Her body convulses violently as she falls to her knees and lets the sobs escape her tear stained lips, a loud scream erupting through her chest and out of her mouth, the sound reverberating and echoing for miles through the thick winter woods.

She doesn’t know when or why or how it happens, but suddenly she not screaming anymore, nor is she crying. Now she’s just numb as she feels a warmth envelope her cold body. She doesn’t fight it. If it’s death that’s taking her then so be it. If it’s Melisandre’s minions, well than they can have her too.

No, this warmth isn’t death or even a threat for that matter. It’s familiar. It’s pack.

She’s moving now, being carried away by strong arms and the only thing she registers is the outlines on Sandor Clegane’s scarred face before her world turns to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit is going down, but note that I won't be killing Gendry. I think some of you will be asking about that. 
> 
> Look out for warnings in future chapters.


	24. When The Roof Starts Cavin' In, We Come Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To have all of these people on her side, to take down her enemy and help get Gendry back is more than she could have ever asked for in one lifetime. Melisandre tried to tell her once that she was all Arya would ever have, and without her, she’d always be alone.
> 
> She was wrong.
> 
> "Come Together" by Trapt featuring AN0MALY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late, between Thanksgiving and having the flu and the holiday drabbles I worked on, it's been crazy. Only a few chapters left! I'm so excited for what I have planned!

_When the walls come crashin' down, we come together_

_We are farthest apart when we forget we have hearts_

_Now it's time for us to remember_

_It's now or never, there's no one better when_

_We come together_

Present Day: North of Winterfell

It’s snowing.

That much she can tell through the haze, because she can _feel_ it. That familiar sensation of little flakes falling to the ground, landing in her hair and on her face, and then disappearing just as quickly as they melt into her skin. It was always one thing she loved about her childhood in the North, catching the snowflakes on her tongue and laughing when they’d fall into her eyes. 

She’s cold, oh so very cold and it’s partly due to the fact she doesn’t have a coat on, forgetting in the commotion and up until she couldn’t run anymore, she’d been warm, the adrenaline and blood pumping in her veins like a lifeline. But it’s gone now, the warmth, the physical depths of the harsh winter creeping into her skin as her body comes down from the high of survival mode, relinquishing to the arms that carry her. 

But it’s mostly her soul that’s cold. Her entire being frozen, numb to what’s happening around her as a pair of strong arms carries her through the fog of the late-night hour.

She opens her eyes slightly, her head spinning from the emotions coursing through her body, threatening to overwhelm her fragile state of mind, from the time the car crashed, to the sight of Gendry being taken away from her by their enemies that won’t hesitate to put them both six feet under.

Gendry.

She wants to scream out in agony, she wants to scream until she can’t scream anymore, throat hoarse from the vibrations of it. And she does just that, until a hand clamps over her mouth not a second later, stopping the sound before it spreads and echoes all around them.

“Hush, girl.”

The sound dies in her throat and he releases his hold over her frigid, quivering lips as he continues walking, treading lightly through the forest, the only sound is heavy breaths and the creaking of the ground being crushed by quick footsteps and muffled cries.

She can’t help the tears that fall from her red eyes, her body ice cold as she shivers, and the smoke fills the air from sharp breaths around her face.

Her eyes are heavy, and she wants to sleep. Sleep until she forgets. Sleep until Gendry finds his way home to her.

Arya hears the faint whispers of people nearby and she can smell smoke wafting through the air, not the kind from cigarette, but the kind found in a burning fire and her body begins to long for the heat of it. 

She thinks about Gendry, about how he should be here with her and it’s her last thought before her world turns to black once more, emotions and tragedy taking their toll.

***

Her eyes flutter open slowly to an unfamiliar place. She’s in a bed, wrapped in an old quilt that smells like it needs a decent wash, but doesn’t necessarily smell _bad,_ just like something that longs to be used and smelled of another person, like how Gendry’s bed sheets smell just like him which makes it easy for her to succumb to sleep even if he’s not physically beside her. There’s a window with white curtains that are closed about halfway, a smidge of sunlight trying to peek through, and the only light in the room.

A cabin bedroom. That’s where she’s at. She made it, with the help of Sandor. And Gendry didn’t.

The tears being to fall with quiet sobs.

She shifts in the bed and finds she’s not alone in the room, someone is holding her hand.

Hattie.

Once her friend realizes she’s awake and crying, Arya’s immediately pulled into her warm embrace, resting her head against her chest and crying softly while Hattie strokes her hair and her back in comfort, “Shhh, I got you, love.”

She’s thankful for their new-found friendship, something she’s longed for since having to leave Naath all those years ago. She thinks of Missandei and her beautiful smile and hopes that one day, she can meet Hattie. She knows they’d be friends instantly. The thought makes her want to smile through her cries.

She stays like that for who knows how long, crying uncontrollably while Hattie rocks her back and forth in the old bed, the motions creaking the rusted frame, the sound drowning out her sobs.

The tears slow and the sobs cease as she leans up to finally look at the face of the woman holding her, “How long was I out?”

Hattie looks at the watch on her wrist, “Thirty-six hours. Sam thinks your body lost all it’s strength and needed a break, he thinks you may have PTSD from what you went through. We were lucky he was still able to track the flash drive and find you. Sandor was out the door before any of us could register the information. He wasted no time. He found you on the ground, with no coat and a fierce grip on the bag with the flash drive.”

“Is every…” Her voice breaks but she continues, “Is everyone here? Gendry?”

She knows it’s useless to hope, to think maybe he got away and found them somehow.

Her worst fears are confirmed when Hattie gives her a sad smile through her own tears and shakes her head slowly.

Arya looks away, “Come, you need to eat something, and the others are waiting.”

Hattie helps Arya from the bed and she leans into her side as they walk together out of the bedroom and down the stairs where the other members of her team are waiting in the living room area, faces touched with sadness through small smiles as she descends the staircase and makes her way over to the couch, where Hattie pulls her back into her arms once more.

The room is quiet, and she can’t bring herself to speak up first or even look at anyone in the eyes for that matter.

Podrick returns from the kitchen then with a bottle of water and a warm bowl of soup. She was out for a long time; they must have settled in to prepare to be here for the foreseeable future.

She’s prepared to tell them she doesn’t want anything to eat, that she needs to go out and find Gendry and not waste anymore time, but the second she smells the soup, she loses all the fight left in her and accepts it eagerly.

She’s weaker than she thought, and she’s going to need to be at one hundred percent strength _when_ she gets Gendry back, with this being the first step at healing herself.

Once she’s finished, she sets the empty bowl aside on the coffee table and leans back into Hattie’s arms, the same embrace they shared just minutes earlier.

Arya looks around to all the sullen faces, Podrick by the roaring fireplace with Sam at an adjacent desk typing furiously on his laptop, Sandor as far away from said fireplace as possible and Davos in the chair next to the couch her and Hattie are currently occupying.

Davos breathes a heavy sigh before speaking, “Can you tell us what happened, dear?”

She leans her head back against Hattie’s chest as she recounts the events of that night, from her suspicions that they were being followed, to the flare missile that subdued them on the King’s Road and Gendry sacrificing himself so that Arya had a chance to get away with the flash drive.

She tells them of the last sight she saw of him, being beaten and then dragged away from the crash site by men with guns.

Davos leans back and he looks like he’s on the verge of tears, along with Hattie and everyone else. Even Sandor looks more pained than she’s ever seen him before.

“We assumed it was something of that nature, but when each of us went back to the last location where the flash drive appeared to be moving, we found nothing but shards of glass on the road. There was no blood, no crashed car, nothing. We went separately and at different times for fear of being spotted but found nothing to point us to where Gendry may be.”

Arya sighs and mumbles quietly, “ _He may be dead already_.”

The comment does not go unnoticed by Hattie, who sits her head up and takes Arya’s face in each hand, using her thumbs to wipe away her salty tears, “Don’t say that, you don’t know that, love. I believe Mel’s holding him in an exchange for the drive, it’s the only play she has left and if that’s the case, then she’ll be reaching out soon enough for a meet. In her own, creepy witchy way of course. She may know we’re here, and she may not. Only time will tell.”

“So, what? We just sit here and wait, while he’s out there being tor…” She can’t bring herself to finish that sentence, if she dwells on it for too long, she’s afraid her body will shut down again and she needs to keep her head clear and her strength up.

“No, we have Sam working tirelessly for clues, he refuses to stop until he has something.” That almost makes her smile, _almost_ , at the effort their putting in for him. They’re as much as his family as they are hers.

“And we’re still searching, we’re not giving up and we’re not leaving you or Gendry, you hear me?”

She keeps Hattie’s gaze and nods her head in understanding. This, her family, her _pack_ , they make her feel less alone and she’s never been more grateful than to have them in her corner than in this very moment.

She wishes and prays that wherever Gendry is, he’s not giving up hope and he knows that she will come for him, she’ll _always_ come for him.

***

Nightfall has come, almost forty-eight hours since Gendry was taken, and she feels like she’s going to lose her fucking mind if they don’t get a decent lead very soon.

She’s pacing around the living room while Hattie watches her carefully and the others help Sam in his task to locate Gendry or Melisandre or _someone_ that can lead them to their enemies.

Davos looks at his watch and then back to her as if he’s waiting for something, “Why don’t you get some fresh air Miss Stark, we’ll still be here when you return, do not worry.”

She narrows her grey eyes at him suspiciously, she knows he has an ulterior motive of asking her to go outside, but she doesn’t press it because it doesn’t matter, the only thing she cares about right now is getting Gendry back.

Arya inhales deeply and then sighs heavily, “Alright.”

She walks out into the chilly winter night, and the cold actually does help calm her down just slightly. She begins pacing towards the wooded area surrounding the cabin, letting the smell of pine and snow drown out all the other worries she’s feeling.

Her hands remain deep in her pockets and she closes her eyes remaining still when she hears footsteps coming from the direction of the cabin.

Assuming it’s Hattie coming to check on her, she turns around with a small smile, but it quickly fades when she doesn’t see a woman with blonde hair, but rather a man with black hair.

She recognizes him instantly and her heart beats erratically as she pulls her gun from the waistband at her back, aiming it directly at the man who in return holds his hands up in surrender, revealing he’s unarmed, eyes pleading for her to know he means no harm.

She stares into those grey eyes for longer than she should, something in her telling her that he’s not really here, he can’t be.

Jon.

She keeps her expression stoic, “Who are you? What did you do with Jon?”

Perhaps it’s a trick, another faceless enemy using her loved ones to take her down. She hasn’t seen him in well over a decade, but that smile he’s wearing hasn’t changed a bit.

Maybe it really is him, but she can’t let her guard down just yet. She has to know for sure.

“It’s really me, Arya. I promise.”

“How can I know for sure?”

She lowers her gun slightly, but not completely while he ponders a way to get her to believe it’s really him.

She holds her breath as he speaks again, “The day of the funerals, do you remember that?”

Of course, she remembers that, how could she ever forget?

She stays silent and he takes it as a sign to continue, “I found you trying to steal Sansa’s bike so that you could go see them at the mausoleum and I told you that you couldn’t go alone, you were too young.”

He smiles and her heart stops, “You got so angry you punched me in the face and gave me a black eye.”

She can’t believe it; it really is him. That’s exactly what happened that dreadful day and there’s no way that anyone else in the world knows that, they promised to keep it their little secret and she never told anyone, and she always trusted him to do the same.

She replaces her gun and runs straight into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder as he holds her in the air, letting her tears fall freely to drop against the fabric of his coat.

His voice breaks as he holds her, “I missed you terribly.”

She smiles, a genuine smile, the first one in almost two days, “I missed you too.”

She has so many questions, so many things she wants to ask him about his life, so many things she wants to tell him about hers, but they’ll have time for that later, so she asks the most important one she can think of at this moment, “Why are you here?”

He takes her hand and leads her back to the cabin, “We’ve come to help.”

She’s so confused, “We?”

They walk inside and she stops dead in her tracks at the sight she’s seeing, along with the others that have been with her since she woke, Yara and Tormund are there along with a red headed woman she’s never seen before talking to Davos.

“Who are you?” She doesn’t mean for it to come out as rude, but she’s also not keen to strangers at this point in her life, even if her friends are there.

The red headed woman holds out her hand to shake with a polite smile, to which Arya doesn’t return.

She pulls her hand back and her lips fall into a small frown, “Miss Stark, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Ygritte Wilde.”

“That may be your name, but that doesn’t tell me who you are. Why are you here with my brother and my friends?”

Yara takes a step closer to her, “You can trust her. Just let her explain, please.”

Arya sighs in defeat and motions for them to sit down, “Fine. Go on.”

“I know time is of the essence therefore I’ll get right to the point. I was hired by King Renly to put together an elite task force to look into the criminal activities of his brother and his partner at MI6. I expected to find as much as the King had assumed of his brother’s _dealings_ in the criminal world, but to my surprise I found you in the midst of my quest.”

Arya says nothing so she continues, “King Renly pulled in Yara Greyjoy to help assist me, having her skillset he assumed to be useful. Jon and I were in the service together before I left, he too was brought in by the king.”

This is all fine to her, but from what it sounds like, Ygritte didn’t bring in anyone on her own and it still doesn’t explain what Tormund is doing here. 

“Is this all?”

Ygritte gives her an amused smile, “I had an inside woman on Tormund’s boat. I believe you’ve met recently.”

Arianne. Now she’s getting somewhere.

“When Mr. Giantsbane’s crew docked in Westeros, I went to retrieve her. But was unsuccessful because your friend here overheard our conversation and when he realized you were in trouble, he ordered Ms. Martell to stay with the crew, in charge in his absence and insisted he was coming with me.”

Arya smiles at her friend, “There was no way in all seven hells I was letting red here go without me, not while my little wolf needed me.”

Ygritte laughs, “The others will be here soon. I believe Mr. Dondarrion is on his way from your family home in Winterfell.”

Arya smiles more to herself than anything, she knew Beric would never betray her.

“What is Beric doing in Winterfell?”

“Protecting your siblings, until today that is. I sent in a replacement to watch over Sansa and Bran and Mr. Greyjoy.”

Yara smiles at her happily and she feels herself relax immensely. Arianne was right, she had more allies than she ever knew about.

She wonders if anyone else will be showing up, now that her team is bigger than ever, she can’t help but to feel like something else is missing, apart from the obvious, “Is this everyone then?”

She speaks only to Ygritte, but Jon chimes in for her instead as he sits down beside the red head and holds her hand in his. _So that’s a thing now_ , she thinks to herself as she watches him speak.

“Actually there’s…” his sentence dies in his throat as a soft knock on the door alerts everyone to a new presence, and before Jon can finish, the door opens to Missandei and Grey worming walking inside with small sad, albeit hopeful smiles.

Arya jumps up from the couch to hug her oldest friend for dear life, not really believing she’s here with her.

They hold each other for a long time and once Arya releases her, she holds Grey just the same, “What on Earth are you two doing here?”

“You really think I was going to let two of my best mates fight this battle alone?” Grey laughs as he makes his way inside and greets the people he knows with a handshake.

“When Davos found us, he did as he told you he would, he arranged a safehouse for us, but Ygritte may have interfered in the transition.”

Jon walks over and gives Grey a quick hug, “Grey and I served together, but I never knew at the time his best friend was Gendry and he knew of my sister, so I was more than happy to have him back in action by my side protecting you.”

Okay, that she can understand, both Jon and Grey have military training, but Missandei doesn’t. That she knows of at least.

“Were you a solider too? Did I miss that part?” She asks her friend with a bit of humor to lighten the mood, and that coming from her of all people right now does not go unnoticed.

“No, love. But I do have self defense training and know how to shoot a gun. My, _upbringing_ wasn’t always idyllic, therefore those things were necessary in my life for survival. And like my husband said, there was no way I was letting you do this alone. And Grey and I are a team, even if this was an entirely different situation where I didn’t know you, Ygritte wasn’t getting him without me.” She gives the man standing next to her a warm smile and her heart grows tenfold at the intimate moment between husband and wife. 

To have all of these people on her side, to take down her enemy and help get Gendry back is more than she could have ever asked for in one lifetime. Melisandre tried to tell her once that she was all Arya would ever have, and without her, she’d always be alone.

She was wrong.

Ygritte turns to Arya, “Once Beric arrives, that’s everyone.”

Arya narrows her eyes at Ygritte, “How long have you been working on this? How long have you known about my involvement?”

She doesn’t hesitate in her response, “For a while now actually, once Yara came in, she updated us on your stance and what was going on, we stood by waiting, hoping you were successful in your attempt in King’s Landing. If we stepped in before it was time, we would have tipped her off and ruined everything. When you failed, we kept tabs and continued our own mission and when Mr. Waters was taken two nights ago, we knew it was time to intervene.”

While Arya somewhat understands her reasoning, her blood still boils because maybe, just maybe they could have prevented what’s happening right now, “Are you fucking kidding me? You should have come to us sooner and maybe enemy number one wouldn’t have taken the man I love hostage!”

“Arya, we…” Jon tries to calm her down, but she’s not having it.

“No! How am I supposed to know you being here now is going to help anything and not make matters worse, huh?”

She keeps her fists at her side, clenched until her knuckles turn white and she desperately wants to hit something.

Ygritte stands up and her words shake Arya to her core, “Because we know where Gendry Waters is being held.”

***

Blood drips from his swollen lip and his head is throbbing with pain.

He hears them, just outside the door, their voices muffled slightly from the concrete walls.

The door opens and Stannis is the first to appear in front of him, followed by Melisandre.

They exchange glances before Mel nods her head and then leaves the room, leaving him alone with his former director for the first time in years. Stannis Baratheon was always a behind the scenes type of leader when he had his mistress to do all his dirty work for him. Circumstances since then have changed.

“Since your corporation in giving up the location of Arya Stark has gone unsuccessful thus far, we’ve had to bring in reinforcements. I believe after you two get acquainted with one another, your decision regarding the information we need will be to our satisfaction. I’ll see you soon, Agent Waters.”

He leaves the room and is replaced by another man, one that makes his blood run cold. He doesn’t need to talk to this man or even look at him to come to that feeling. He knows of this man’s reputation through years at the agency.

He doesn’t know his real name, only the name he’s infamous for, The _Tickler_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.


	25. Dear Agony, Just Let Go of Me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mel sits down in the chair closest to the wall and gestures for Gendry to take the other one, his back to the window, the only source of life existing outside of these four walls.
> 
> He sits down slowly, never removing his blue eyes from hers and rests his bound hands in his lap.
> 
> “Hello, Gendry. It’s been a long time.”
> 
> “Not long enough.”
> 
> 'Dear Agony' By Breaking Benjamin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: For violence, torture, and all things alike. 
> 
> I'm sorry this is so late, but since my other WIP is finished, this one gets all my attention until completion.

_Suffer slowly_

_Is this the way it's got to be?_

_Don't bury me_

_Faceless enemy_

_I'm so sorry_

48 Hours Ago- King’s Road

His cheek stings with the full force of someone else’s weight against it, but the pain from a blow to his face could never come close to the pain inside of his chest at the sight of Arya leaving his side and running into the cold darkened wilderness without him, not knowing what dangers lie ahead for her.

But she does it anyway, because he had asked, no, he practically _begged_ her to. To get herself somewhere safe with the drive, just as she asked him to protect the only crucial piece of evidence they had in this fight with his life, even if it meant she’d lose hers in the process. _Oh, how the irony has come full circle_ , he thinks to himself as he’s being pushed towards a military grade vehicle, most likely the same one that shot the flared missile at his own.

He knows she must be feeling the same way he felt just days ago, and he swears his heart stops at the faint sound of her piercing scream crying out, mingled with the howling of the wolves deep into the woods of the north. If anyone else heard it, they show no signs of it. Only he knows the truth, that she’s out there alone, trying to stay out of sight and alive.

Gendry almost sighs in relief knowing they’re only interested in him at the moment, believing without much question that he was alone in the car when it crashed. But he also knows what lies ahead of him when they give him over to their boss, and that thought does not bring relief, only shuddered, uninvited pain in every bone in his body.

He doesn’t dare give them a reason to view him as a threat as he keeps his hands up in the air, his face bleeding down his cold skin, showing no signs of imminent violence. These people aren’t familiar to him although any goons Mel would hire to track them down wouldn’t be. No, they’d be ghosts, just another face in the sea of people, blending in, in any given situation.

He watches carefully as a stranger aims a gun directly at his head as he remains coerced into keeping his hands raised in surrender. Then, without realizing what’s coming, the same man kicks his legs out from underneath him with a hard shove, leaving him no time to react, ultimately sending Gendry toppling down to the ground in pain, before being pistol whipped unconscious.

***

His head is throbbing with pain as his eyes flutter open slowly, fighting the need to shut them for good and sleep, sleep until he can’t feel or hurt anymore. Sleep until he’s with her again, forever in his dreams. He’s not naïve to think that there’s a chance he’ll survive any of this. He knows how MI6 operates when they want information from someone, and what’s worse is that he’s come to know how _she_ operates, outside the confinement of the law.

He’s been through it before, first in training, rigorous torture exercises that even the strongest of people had trouble getting through unscathed both physically and mentally, and then on missions that didn’t go exactly as planned. He’s just about seen it all throughout his years of experience with the agency, but this time it’s different. With Mel, and Stannis to a certain degree, pulling the strings, he knows it’s deeper than anything she’s had to do before, this time it’s about her own survival, and a woman as sinister as Melisandre, the Gods only know what she’s capable of.

It’s all just too much, being away from Arya, having to deal with the fallout of being captured, the waiting. Waiting to be questioned and tortured. Waiting for a salvation that may never come.

He’s not sure where he is or how much time as gone by since the accident. The ground is cold underneath his weakened body and he realizes he’s lying down, with his hands bound behind his back with some sort of cable, digging deep into the frail skin on his wrists and wet from either the damp ground or his own blood. He wriggles his hands and the pain blinds him into submission. S _o, it must be the latter then_ , he whispers quietly in the empty room.

He raises his body slowly and as carefully as he can and leans against the wall uncomfortably, with his hands still bound behind him.

The room is empty save for him and the dirt on the ground. Naturally.

He notices light coming through a small window on the wall, too high for him to reach, which brings him to the conclusion that at least a few hours have past and its now daylight outside, early morning perhaps. He wonders if Arya found somewhere safe to hide, or if she…

He shakes his head violently and releases a loud groan in frustration, cringing at the noise as it reverberates off the four concrete walls surrounding him, not daring to let his thoughts drift to the worst possible scenario as to what’s happening with her.

He doesn’t want to think about that or allow himself to have hope. Hope in a place like this and a situation like his is futile, it’s a completely foreign concept that although it’s on the tip of his tongue and his fingertips, it’s still just so far out of reach, that if he were to try to grasp it, he would surely fall into agony and despair.

But his mind can’t help but to think what she would want him to do, surely, she wouldn’t want him to succumb to the agony he’s feeling. No, she’d want him to fight with everything he has inside of him. Not for her, but for himself.

But there is no fighting to be done at the moment, he has nowhere to go. The only thing he must do now is wait. For what, well that’s something he doesn’t want to think about.

Time passes by slowly, but the sun has yet to make it’s decent towards Earth, so he knows it’s only been a few hours at the most since he’s woken.

He leans back against the cold wall and the chill brings him a minuscule amount of comfort, but his hands are still bound with the blood rushing to them to the point of complete numbing, his head still pounds and his mouth tastes like sandpaper. He has yet to see a single soul in this hell he’s in and he begins to wonder if he’s all alone, abandoned until Melisandre decides what she wants from him.

How far did they go? Are they still in the North or did they travel towards King’s Landing?

But that’s easy, he knows exactly what she wants, or rather who. And no matter what she or anyone else does to him, he’ll _never_ give Arya over to her. He’d rather die before that happens.

He sits there thinking for a long time, about Arya, about the days and the years he spent without her because of what Mel did and his blood begins to pulse in his veins with unrelenting fury.

It almost makes him smile, to know that he’s still able to feel something, even if it is a violent rage that he wants to take out on the woman that’s put him and Arya through absolute hell the past five years of their lives.

Gendry tries to control his erratic heartbeat that matches his uncontrollable breathing by thinking about Arya and her beautiful smile and how he needs to keep his strength up and focus on getting out of here and back to her, as if that’s a real possibility.

The emotions start to take its toll on his body and he feels himself succumbing to a restless sleep, his head falling limp to the side, but a sudden rattle against the steel door stirs him awake with a start, body tensing as to who is on the other side trying to get in.

He keeps his eyes focused on the door as it opens slowly and a smaller man, well maybe averagely built but definitely smaller than Gendry’s stature and only a few years younger than him, he assumes a new recruit at the agency that Mel has brainwashed into believing he’s doing good in this world, steps inside balancing a tray of food on shaky hands, setting it on the floor.

He turns to leave with a small bow of his head when Gendry’s voice stops him in his place, “Hey mate, do you know why I’m here?”

He turns around and gives Gendry a nod of confirmation, “She says you’re a dangerous prisoner, that you’re a threat to national security and should be treated as such. I… I really shouldn’t be talking to you.”

He leans off the wall and positions his body so the man can see his hands behind his back, “I’m not going to hurt you and I promise I’m no threat to this country, don’t believe everything you’re told. Just believe in the truth that you can see.”

The stranger gives Gendry a curious look, as if his words sink in and he actually believes what he’s being told before Gendry speaks up again, “Is she here?”

“Aye.”

“And how exactly am I supposed to eat with no hands?”

“I…”

He stutters, unsure, “I’m supposed to bound your hands in the front so that you could eat, but I was…”

He stops again and Gendry looks at him with a softness in his angry blue eyes, “You were being cautious, because of what you were told about me?”

He shakes his head and Gendry gives him a reassuring soft smile in return, “It’s okay, I get it. You can follow through, mate, I won’t hurt you. You have my word.”

The recruit nods quickly and pulls the tools he needs from the pocket of his cargo pants as he gingerly steps toward Gendry, who is know trying to stand on unsteady legs.

His entire body is heavy, and the pain, both mentally and physically, is not helping restore his balance as he stands and leans back against the wall to keep from falling over, and as the man approaches and reaches for his wrist, he winces and pulls back slightly, knowing the depth of their current predicament isn’t going to make this transition any less painful.

“Just, hold still.”

He tries and fails to stifle a scream when the cable is finally removed from his bloody wrists, the material taking skin along with it.

The unannounced cry of pain startles the young man and he jumps subtly where he stands but continues with the task at hand without pause.

It’s only when Gendry’s hands are held in front of him, bloody, raw and bruised does the stranger show a little bit more sympathy than before as he reaches down to rip some fabric from his own shirt in order to clean up Gendry’s hands as best as he can before he has to tie them again.

He wipes the blood gently and Gendry takes the opportunity to distract himself from the pain by saying a soft thank you before asking for his name, to which he gets a weary glance under soft eyes, “Lommy.”

“Well, thank you again, _Lommy_.”

After most of the blood is gone, his hands are bound once more in front of him, with just enough room to move his arms and be able to grasp things should he need to.

“Thank you for not killing me as soon as your hands were free.”

They share a soft breathy laugh as Lommy retreats back out of the room, leaving Gendry alone with the food and an aching stomach.

Even though he’s yearning to have something sustainable on his stomach, he just can’t fathom ingesting anything that red bitch puts in front of him. For one, it could be poisoned for all he knows, laced with some kind of concoction like truth serum and two, he really doesn’t want to give her the satisfaction of watching him comply to her noble offers of humanity.

He stares at the door, studying it’s every hinge, as he slides back down the wall in a slump of defeat.

More time passes him by when the door opens again, this time revealing Mr. Stannis Baratheon himself, who doesn’t seem to be in the mood for pleasantries.

“Why aren’t you eating?” He says with an angry voice, eyes darting back in forth between the untouched food and where Gendry is slouched against the wall, only giving a shrug of his shoulders as an answer.

“We need you alert and coherent when we begin questioning you, you need to eat.”

Gendry scoffs, clearly not having any bullshit his former employer is spitting out, “And you need to go fuck yourself.”

Stannis stares him down with piercing eyes as he continues, “I’m not touching that shit, and I’m not telling you anything. Do whatever you want to me, I’m sure I’ve been through worse in just my training alone, so I can take it. But I’ll _never_ tell you where she is, you might as well just go ahead and kill me now.”

Gendry refuses to back down or give in.

So, Stannis relents, for now.

***

He keeps track of the hours that pass, by the shadow of the sun seeping through the window high on the wall. Three hours since Stannis left him alone. Three hours anticipating their next move. Three hours to sit and think about his love. Three hours to let the tears fall freely.

Three hours when he comes face to face with the devil herself.

She walks in, chin held high in defiance, watching him with fiery blue eyes. He doesn’t say anything and neither does she and before he can get a word out, there’s movement behind her as a table and two chairs are being brought into the room and placed in the center.

Mel sits down in the chair closest to the wall and gestures for Gendry to take the other one, his back to the window, the only source of life existing outside of these four walls.

He sits down slowly, never removing his blue eyes from hers and rests his bound hands in his lap.

“Hello, Gendry. It’s been a long time.”

“Not long enough.”

Melisandre gives him a small smile, and leans back in her chair, “Where is the flash drive, Mr. Waters?”

So right down to it then.

“ _Bite me_.” His voice is strong. Determined.

He knows it’s stupid as fuck to taunt her, but it gives him gratification to watch her squirm and waste her time trying to get the information she desires out of him. Every punch, every kick, every beating, will be worth it to be able to see the fire in her eyes diminish as she fails to grab ahold of what she wants the most.

“It’s not wise to resist me, Gendry. You will regret it. You had a duty to this country and the citizens that live in it and you failed them.”

 _Duty_.

He’s always hated that word.

He thinks about the old Westerosi quote, whispering to himself as he looks sadly downward, “ _Love is the death of duty_.” 

With all of her years in the business of espionage, he should know better than to believe the simplest thing could slip by her.

“And duty is the death of love. That’s why she left you all those years ago, she had a job to do and realized her duty and her job was more important than the likes of a silly relationship and the absurd notion of love.”

Gendry’s eyes snap up and meet hers with a fierce gaze, hot angry tears beginning to form, and his voice raises with the emotions rising, “No, you gave her an ultimatum! You threatened violence against the people she loves. You didn’t give her a choice; you gave her an _order_.”

“Aye. And she followed through quite nicely, until she didn’t. I was thoroughly disappointed in Miss Stark, she had great potential and it was a huge loss to the agency.”

“You wanted her to become you and she refused, she saw you for what you truly are, evil. You’re a monster.”

“To you maybe, to others I am a godsend. Now, please tell me where Miss Stark and the flash drive is, and then you can be on your way. I don’t want to keep you here forever Gendry, and I’m almost out of patience.”

He smiles then and this time its genuine, “Good. I don’t really give a fuck because I’m not telling you where she is, or where I think she is. You’ve had me here so long; I really don’t know anymore.”

Mel sighs heavily, “I’ve tried to be nice Mr. Waters, I’ve given you food and yet you still aim to displease me. But rest assured, I will get what I want, and when I do, the results will not be favorable for Arya Stark.”

The underlying and threatening tone of her words sets him off, suggesting a violent end for the woman he loves, the woman he’s here for, and he’s had enough.

Within the blink of an eye, he scoots his body and the chair he’s in away from him, the sound of it scratching the concrete floor like nails on a chalkboard and he’s flipping the table upside down, the brute of it flying across the room and crashing against the wall. If Mel has any ill feelings toward his angry outburst, she doesn’t let it show as he pins her to the wall beside the door, his bound hands wrapping harshly around her throat.

“If you harm her, I will kill you, you have my word on that. Hell, even if you don’t and I manage to get out of here, I’ll kill you anyways.”

His grip on her throat tightens as she uses her left hand to knock on the door, sending in guards to help her out of his grasp.

Gendry’s hands release her body and she’s staring at him in triumph as her men hold him back by both arms. His body tenses as she saunters slowly towards him and grabs his chin with a cold hand.

Before he realizes what, she wants, she has her lips pressed to his and he tries desperately to not vomit in his mouth at the feeling. 

She pulls back and opens her eyes slowly to meet his, “Very well then. See to it that Mr. Waters knows his place here and the repercussions of him not cooperating.”

He’s on the ground in an instant and they kick him while he’s down. In his head, his chest, anywhere they can reach which for him unfortunately is everywhere in his current position.

She leaves the room swiftly and once again; his body is trembling as it struggles to endure the pain that’s inflicted upon him.

He doesn’t know how long they kick and punch, but by the time they’re finished, he can barely breathe.

His ribs are bruised, and most likely cracked if not broken altogether, and there’s blood dripping from his head and a cut in his bottom lip.

He screams with a hoarse voice as the door shuts behind them loudly, releasing all of his pent-up emotions like a flood. He flips the table over and over again, before moving on to a chair, throwing it about and breaking it into bits and pieces as tears sting his black and blue face.

He crashes and throws things until his arms can no longer carry the weight, and he falls to the floor as loud sobs wrack his entire body and the tears flow freely.

He knows he’s lost, that the chances of survival not only for himself but for Arya as well are basically non-existent and he doesn’t know how to handle that kind of loss.

It’s not like before, when Melisandre forced Arya into leaving him. Back then they both still had lives to lead, but now, they have nothing left.

No future and not each other.

The pain doesn’t let sleep take him over and he wishes it would, that sleep would come and take him away from this misery, if only for a little while.

***

He still doesn’t eat, and sleep comes in sharp waves. A few minutes at a time he feels his body drift from the gravity holding him to reality.

But then the pain from his injuries forces him to wake, and when he does, he’s met with more men, with the same questions.

And he always gives them a smart-ass response or his own threat in return, usually resulting in another beating or other torture methods used within the agency, nothing he’s not already experienced with, but he realizes that sooner or later they’re going to resort to more desperate methods of interrogations.

By the light of the day he thinks that at least two days have gone by and the fleeting feeling he had in the beginning of being rescued by Arya or their team is nothing but a distant memory of hope.

But still, he’ll keeping fighting and he’ll stay strong, even after yet another one of Mel’s antics, another beating while he remains helpless to fight back. 

Blood drips from his swollen lip and his head is throbbing with pain.

He leans back against the wall and waits for what they decide to do to him next, and he’s surprised when Lommy enters his room, eyes looking back behind him warily as he closes the door as quietly as he can.

He walks towards Gendry and bends down in front of him, pulling a water bottle from his pocket, bringing it to his lips, to which Gendry eagerly accepts.

He finishes most of the water with a whispered _thanks_.

“You don’t have to put yourself through this you know. I don’t know exactly what she’s after from you or why, but it’s only going to get worse if you don’t give her what she wants.”

Of course, he’d make a friend in a shitty situation like this.

He takes more of the water that’s offered and then sighs with a heavy heart, “Have you ever been in love, mate?”

Lommy looks at him with scrunched brows, lips in a straight line, “No, I don’t think I have.”

Gendry laughs slightly, “Well then, when you do, and I hope that you do because no other feeling can compare, you’ll know exactly why I’m doing this to myself. Mel wants the only person in this world that I can’t live without. And she’s not getting to her. Not while I’m still breathing.”

Lommy’s expression softens immensely at his words, “You’re a good man. I’m sorry you have to endure this.”

“Thank you, for everything Lommy. Stay safe out there.”

Lommy nods with a sad smile and leaves him alone once more. 

***

He sleeps somewhat peacefully thinking of soft brown hair and grey eyes when he starts to wake up and hear them, just outside the door, their voices muffled slightly from the concrete walls.

The door opens and Stannis is the first to appear in front of him, followed by Melisandre.

They exchange glances before Mel nods her head and then leaves the room, leaving him alone with his former director. Stannis Baratheon was always a behind the scenes type of leader when he had his mistress to do all his dirty work for him. Circumstances since then have changed.

“Since your cooperation in giving up the location of Arya Stark has gone unsuccessful thus far, we’ve had to bring in reinforcements. I believe after you two get acquainted with one another, your decision regarding the information we need will be to our satisfaction. I’ll see you soon, Agent Waters.”

He leaves the room and is replaced by another man, one that makes his blood run cold. He doesn’t need to talk to this man or even look at him to come to that feeling. He knows of this man’s reputation through years at the agency.

He doesn’t know his real name, only the name he’s infamous for, _The Tickler_.

Everything that’s been done to him so far has been child’s play compared to what this man is capable of.

He walks in quietly as Gendry watches him from the floor, spitting the salty crimson from his mouth occasionally. He picks up the table and the only chair that’s not broken from the floor and sets it beside it.

He then grabs Gendry forcefully by the elbow, lifting him from the ground and depositing him in the chair, switching his bound hands from in front of him, to behind his back without softness or ease. 

Gendry watches with a lump in his throat as the man reveals a sharpened blade, twisting it mercifully between his dirty fingers, “We’re going to play a little game.”

He steps behind Gendry and presses the knife into Gendry’s pinky finger and then is forced to hold his body down as he tries to wiggle body and his hand away from the knife, “Not so fast, mate.”

He sinks the blade into his finger as blood appears on the outside of his skin and on the knife, almost as if he’s testing the strength of the motion.

“You might need this.” The tickler puts some sort of contraption into Gendry’s mouth for him to bite on, keeping him from making any noise.

“I’m going to ask you a question and if I don’t like the answer, you lose a third of your finger. Another wrong answer results in another third until there is no more and then I move on to the next digit.”

He pushes the blade deeper to emphasis the seriousness of the rules and Gendry flinches in an automatic response to shield himself from danger.

“ _Fuck you_.” He screams out in his head, if only to give himself the satisfaction of feigning pain and feels the knife dig even deeper.

How the fuck is he supposed to answer any questions with this stupid fucking thing in his mouth. It’s then he realizes that The Tickler simply wants to _play_ for a little while first and that makes his blood run cold and every nerve ending shudder with fear. 

He screams out in agony, as best as he can with his mouth obscured, as blood pours out of his finger. He’s unable to release the frustration he’s feeling, but that doesn’t keep him from trying as the tickler stands behind him and begins his torture. Save for Gendry’s muffled screams, the room is quiet until gunfire rings out on the other side of the door, both of their heads shifting to look up at the steel wall in unison. 

They wait a few seconds, but it doesn’t cease in frequency, so the tickler pockets the knife quickly and moves over to the door, looking back at Gendry with an evil grin, “Don’t go anywhere, our fun isn’t over yet my friend.”

Once he’s alone, he pulls his hands toward his back as best as he can, the injured finger pressing heavily into his already bloodstained and dirty shirt.

The gunfire grows louder, and he stops breathing as someone reaches for the door handle, swinging it open quickly.

His fate is met with familiar red hair and ocean blue eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 👀


	26. Love Is Not A Victory March, It's A Cold And It's A Broken Hallelujah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things that didn’t register with him before now start to make more sense, like the smell of saltwater and the faint calling of seagulls outside his window. He assumed he imagined those things, little pieces of life that he held onto when he thought he had nothing left.
> 
> "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so Jeff Buckley's lyrics in his cover is the one I went with, but others that you can also listen to are the ones by Imogen Heap or The Canadian Tenors, both are truly excellent.

_Maybe there's a God above_

_But all I've ever learned from love_

_Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya_

_And it's not a cry that you hear at night_

_It's not somebody who's seen the light_

_It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah_

Present Day- Widow’s Watch

The gunfire grows louder, and he stops breathing as someone reaches for the door handle, swinging it open quickly.

His fate is met with familiar red hair and ocean blue eyes.

And he literally cannot believe what he's seeing.

It's so impossible, he thinks he must be dreaming, passed out from one of the guard’s torture tactics surely, because there is absolutely no fucking way that Tormund Giantsbane is standing right here in front of him with the goofiest fucking smug grin splattered across his bearded face.

No, maybe he’s hallucinating. That must be it, he just needs to snap himself out it, because picturing an ally, a friend here before him is too much to bear. A hopeless grasp on an alternate reality.

Gendry blinks furiously, trying to will the image away, but try as he might, Tormund is still there. He tries to hold back tears, of pain or happiness he's not quite sure. A solemn mixture of both perhaps. 

He faintly registers the sound of sporadic gunfire coming from behind him, but his mind can only focus on one thing at the moment, which is the man standing before him.

His bright red orange hair is disheveled and he’s wearing a military grade bullet-proof vest, that seems a little snug against his large chest, over slightly dirty clothes that look to have the faintest amounts of blood on them. It’s basically the same way Sandor Clegane had to wear his on their previous missions, because trying to find decent protective amor for the big men is something they just can’t find the time for these days. He thinks maybe the vest is the only thing he has for protection since he doesn’t seem to be carrying a gun or any other form of a weapon. His brain begins to imagine who else could be with him with Tormund’s voice breaks him from his fleeting thoughts.

“Here I am, your knight in shining Velcro. I know, I know, I’m much more handsome without it”, the bearded man says cheekily with a wide smile and a waggling of thick eyebrows, overjoyed to see his friend. 

Gendry watches as Tormund makes his way over to him and his body tenses involuntarily from the predicted pain as he removes the gag from his mouth before cutting his hands free.

He laughs breathlessly through a clenched and sore jaw, "You absolute cunt." He manages a smile, even though his body fights against it. Resting bitch face is effortless and much more preferred to keep his aching muscles relaxed as his body fights to get back to normality.

Tormund helps him from the chair by wrapping an arm around his waist, letting Gendry wrap his arm around his broad shoulder, putting most of his weight on the bigger man that saved him from losing his fingers and ultimately meeting an untimely death.

“Good to see you to mate, now let’s get the bloody fuck out of here. This place gives me the fucking creeps, and so does that red witch that’s running around here somewhere.” 

They take a few steps towards the door, but an unfamiliar woman with beautiful red hair appears in front of them in the open doorway wearing the same protective gear, although her clothes underneath suggest she’s official military of some sort. She could even be MI6 as he wouldn’t know any new faces at the agency these days.

Tormund eases his worries with a soft voice, but he still feels his body tense up once again at the stranger, “She’s good mate, she’s the one who led us to you.”

Ygritte steps up to them and gives Gendry a weary smile before letting him balance his weight out between both her and the big man.

As they leave the room, the one he’s called home for the past two days, he notices for the first time where exactly he is as he was unconscious upon his arrival to the place, he very well thought he would meet his end. It’s an abandoned prison, looking to be very, _very_ old that hasn’t seen use in several decades at least. Some walls are crumbled completely but the overall foundation remains, dirty floors filled with rusty water remnants of a semi stable roof.

They pass a few bodies, ones he assumes Ygritte, and maybe a little bit of Tormund, took out in an effort to get past them and to him, but so far, he has yet to see anyone of importance, dead or alive.

He manages to move on wobbly legs as they make their way through the building, and towards the gunfire, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m really fucking sick of red heads, no offense to either of you.”

“None taken, mate. That red bitch really gives us a bad name,” Tormund says as serious as he can be, the first time he’s ever seen it on the big man. It’s then he realizes how grateful he is for the new friends he’s made on this journey these past few weeks. What started out as a simple bounty, turned into a series of events that changed his life forever, and still continue to do so as they play out right in front of his eyes.

All because of his grey-eyed assassin.

Gendry leans more on Tormund as Ygritte disarms a guard they run into, and as he evens out his weight on them once more to keep going, he voices a thought that he so desperately needs to know, “Where is…”

His voice cracks and he thinks his heart just might break as he struggles to get the words out, “Is she…”

The bigger man picks up on what he’s getting at with his unfinished question and Gendry’s thankful that he doesn’t have to finish that sentence, “Little wolf is fine.”

He starts laughing and cannot contain the smile that takes over his face, blue eyes crinkling through tears of joy. Tears of happiness, definite happiness.

“Where is she?” His voice is hoarse, full of raw emotions and it makes him dizzy just trying to wrap his mind around everything that’s happened in the last few minutes, on a day he thought he was going to die. 

Tormund tries to walk just a little bit faster as they make their way through, and he realizes just how fucking big this place actually is, “Kicking everyone’s ass trying to get to you. I just happened to find you first She’ll probably be pissed but I’m just glad I got to you before old tickly fingers dead. That fucker was scary as fuck, mate.” So, the tickler must be dead then. _Good riddance_ , he thinks to himself as they walk, and he listens to his friend talk. 

He thinks about what Tormund said to him, about how the woman holding him upright led them to him, “You found me? Where are we?”

They keep walking, a slower pace since Gendry is injured and is having a hard time keeping up.

“Aye. The name’s Ygritte. I was hired by the King to take down Stannis Baratheon. Details don’t matter, we have time for that later. We’re in Widow’s Watch.”

Things that didn’t register with him before now start to make more sense, like the smell of saltwater and the faint calling of seagulls outside his window. He assumed he imagined those things, little pieces of life that he held onto when he thought he had nothing left.

They round the corner and run into another guard that Ygritte takes down easily, before a familiar face comes into view and Gendry has to stop the woman in her tracks from killing him, “No! Not him, he’s a friend.”

Lommy looks at him with grateful eyes and continues on the trek of escaping with them, just a few paces ahead to keep an eye out. It’s not his fault that he’s here in the first place and he doesn’t deserve to die for following blindly into what he thought was the right thing. He was deceived by Melisandre, just as they all were.

They meet up with a few others, Yara and Podrick, who give him warm smiles before continuing on in search of the target now that Gendry is safe and taken care of. They know they’ll be time for suitable reunions later, they just need to make it out alive beforehand so that can be a possibility.

He thinks they’re close to the front now as more light shines through what windows he can see. He sighs in relief when a wave of blonde hair appears seemingly out of thin air, “Good God, you look like shit, mate. What did they do to you?”

He supposes that Hattie means to tease him about his appearance, but the way her voices shakes at the end of that question suggests that she’s both equally relieved for his safety and terrified of what he went through and the consequences there of for him at the same time.

She gingerly holds him in her arms for a moment before pulling back and looking to Ygritte beside him, “We have Stannis Baratheon in custody. He’s with Davos and Grey outside waiting by the vans.”

Gendry snaps his face to her in surprise at the familiar name, but it couldn’t possibly be, could it? “Grey?”

Hattie looks to Ygritte in a silent affirmation before giving him a sad and reluctant smile of departure before moving on her mission.

“Grey and the Mrs. joined my team after learning why they needed to be in protective custody, along with Ms. Greyjoy and Mr. Dondarrion who needed to keep Arya’s sibling’s safe.”

He thinks back to how Beric didn’t show at the warehouse and that everyone thought he might have been a traitor, except for Arya that is. Her faith in him never waivered and now he can see why.

Tormund’s voice echoes through the halls, “Yeah Beric got fucked up on the way over, the guards on the road got a little too trigger happy with their toys and blew the fucking road to pieces, the big guy with the scars took him to the hospital.”

“Sandor.” Gendry says with a soft tone.

Tears prickle his eyes as he thinks about everyone coming together for him, to save him.

They manage to make their way outside and the sunlight blinds him with a scorching fury, the first time he’s seen pure daylight in forty-eight hours.

His heart begins to hammer in his chest when they top the hill a short walk away, the sound of waves crashing against the docks mixing in with his erratic pulse as he sees Davos and Grey standing tall next to a worn and sour faced Stannis, handcuffed and on the road to exile. Next to them, standing just outside the van doors are Sam and Missandei, giving him warm but distant smiles. He feels like they’re attempting to be respectful, knowing a bigger power is in the works at the moment.

Tormund and Ygritte set him down to lean against the front of the third van, as Yara comes into view from the bottom of the hill where the prison sits, “She’s gone. Melisandre isn’t in there.”

He watches as Stannis clears his throat subtly, a smile inching to take over, which is wiped away quickly by a knee to his stomach, courtesy of Missandei, “Prick.”

Well, that’s new.

Grey kisses his wife’s cheek softly, as they wait for the others.

He watches as Lommy greets his now expanded team of allies, Ygritte and Tormund giving them the approval they received from Gendry just moments earlier.

He holds onto his abdomen, feeling the swelling and tenderness in full form as he stares at the ground, head too heavy to raise it properly, until…

Gendry hears a frantic screaming of “ _Where is he_?!” down below and he raises his head just enough to see Hattie and Podrick at the entrance, talking to a black-haired man he does not recognize and _her_.

Their eyes meet at the same time and it’s as if he no longer registers the pain because the only thing his body does is rapidly close the distance between them, as hers does the same. He takes in the sight of her, all dirty with sweat and blood, and still so beautiful. Beautiful and dangerous, and everything that’s Arya Stark.

He’s limping, and still holding his side, but he doesn’t care about anything other than having Arya in his arms. She runs to him, choked sobs escaping through trembling lips when they finally touch, her hands holding out to him like a lifeline, one that he eagerly accepts without hesitation.

Her hands are warm as they hold onto the back of his neck, slipping ever so slightly from the pool of sweat, but her grip is strong and sturdy as his forehead meets hers. All they can do is quietly sob, laugh happily and breathe each other in. She smells of sweat, yet so sweet and so _Arya_ , and it’s absolutely breathtaking, her here before him.

Her hands slide from his neck to cup his cheeks in her palms, “Don’t ever do anything like that to me ever again, or I swear to all seven I’ll kill you myself.”

He smiles, eyes still closed breathing in their moment as if it could slip between his fingertips in a matter of seconds, “Yes, milady.”

“I love you.” She repeats over and over again, tasting the words on her tongue as her lips find every inch of skin reachable until he winces subtly before she pulls away. His body is in excruciating pain and it comes back to the forefront of his brain the moment her lips meet his sensitive skin, and he curses himself that he’s in no capacity to give her the proper reunion of adoration he desires, and she deserves.

She doesn’t speak of his pain as Hattie and Podrick, the last of them to join meet them halfway and they continue the path slowly to safety.

Davos looks to his granddaughter with a stern expression, “Is everyone out?”

Podrick stands a little straighter, “Aye.”

They exchange glances before Podrick removes a remote from his pants pocket and presses a single button, releasing the mechanism that sends the old prison up in flames in a full force blast that shakes the ground beneath them.

They all watch in silence as the building explodes and falls to ashes.

Gendry holds on to Arya as Hattie hold his opposite side, “While I’m happy to see you all, Mel couldn’t have gotten far, you have to go after her, we might not get another chance.”

Arya shakes her head as tears threaten to fall, “No, I don’t give a shit about her right now, we have to get you to a hospital.”

Davos steps forward, bringing Stannis along with him to make sure he stays within arms-reach, “There’s a place not too far in White Harbor, go there. They’ll be discrete and make sure he gets excellent care. I’ll send the address to your phones.”

While some go with Davos and Stannis, assumingly to take him back to King’s Landing to be met with his brother, the King, Arya tells everyone else to go back to the cabin and wait for further instructions.

She helps him into the van while Ygritte takes the front seat and the man he has yet to meet gets into the driver’s seat, giving Arya the space to hold him in the back.

The door closes sharply and the only thing he can feel is his head lying in Arya’s lap while she strokes his hair tenderly, “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met, who are you?”

He feels Arya body shake with a giggle under him, “This is Jon Snow.”

Ah, yes. He berates himself for not realizing that sooner, the resemblance is uncanny, same dark hair and grey eyes. Same fierce look he sees every time his eyes meet hers.

Jon keeps his eyes focused on the road ahead, “It’s nice to meet you, although I do wish it were under different circumstances.”

Gendry smiles at that, “You and me both, mate.”

Arya turns his head so that she can look down at him without putting too much strain on her own body, “Can you tell me what happened?”

He sighs heavily and the action causes a broken rib to pierce his insides and he hisses painfully, “She wanted me to tell her where you were hiding with the drive. When I refused to give up your location, she… did things. Or rather had others do things.”

“ _Fuck_.” Arya curses, emotions leaving her body in waves.

“They weren’t all bad. Lommy, he’s a good kid. He was kind to me. He took care of me when everyone else didn’t give a shit.”

Arya lifts his shirt and cringes at the sight of his bruised and broken body, “Shit, Gendry. Jon, can you drive any fucking faster!”

“I’m okay love. Everything’s fine now that you’re here. Gods, I missed you.”

She kisses his forehead, letting her lips linger, “I missed you too. I was scared out of my bloody mind.”

“Same. I watched you run, but I had no idea if you made it to safety or if they found you, I just didn’t know until Tormund told me you were there kicking everyone’s ass trying to get to me,” he says with a smile.

Ygritte turns slightly so that she’s talking to them in the back seat, “More like killing anyone that got in her way, a wolf on a mission. Never seen anything like it, truly impressive, Stark.”

Gendry thinks about the one crucial piece that’s the source of all this madness, “And the drive?”

Jon speaks up then, before either women has the chance to, “It’s safe and secure.”

She’s here and the evidence they need is safe. She’s here. She’s here. He sinks those words in, repeats them like a mantra.

He wants to say _good_ or _great_ or _something_ in confirmation, but words fail him as his mind goes blank and his eye lids flutter closed. He registers two things as his body falls into the darkness, Arya’s hand trying desperately to get him to open his eyes and her piercing screaming of his name that rings in his ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I'm done with the torture and Gendry won't be dying. That is all. 
> 
> This chapter isn't as long but it has everything I outlined for it, so I can't really complain. Now on to the next....


	27. Sedated We're Nursing On A Poison That Never Stung

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon pulls a chair over so that she can sit down and stay close to Gendry. Carefully and ever so slowly, she takes his fragile hand in hers and her own heart nearly beats out of her chest when she notices his heart rate pick up on the monitor at the action. 
> 
> Ygritte walks over to her side and gives her a shy smile, “I may not know either of you very well, but I know a love like yours is a very rare and special thing that doesn’t happen for most people in one lifetime.” 
> 
> "Sedated" by Hozier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for (graphic?) descriptions of Gendry's injuries while he was being held prisoner.

_Just a little hush, babe_

_Our veins are busy but my heart's in atrophy_

_Any way to distract and sedate_

_Adding shadows to the walls of the cave_

Present Day- White Harbor

If Jon has any ill feelings towards Arya’s emotional outbursts during the rush to get Gendry to the hospital, he shows no indications of it. Between her frantically trying to bring him back to consciousness, to no avail despite her best efforts, and her constant yelling for him to drive faster despite him already breaking about all the traffic laws in Westeros, he seems to be quite calm given the dangerous circumstances surrounding them, something Arya notices that he might be somewhat used to.

But that’s something she can’t think about that right now, how eerily comfortable Jon seems to be with the situation, like he’s been through this before. This danger, and the threat of death. She’s missed so much of her family’s life after she ran away, and she’s tired of running. She’s ready to plant roots and grow where she belongs and with the people that will help her flourish.

She shakes off those thoughts and thinks about there here and now, knowing they’re sitting ducks, just waiting to get caught in the crossfire of whatever Melisandre is planning now that she’s escaped them once again, but she doesn’t care about the repercussions of what they’re doing, she only cares about getting Gendry the medical attention he so desperately needs right now, the consequences be damned.

When they finally arrive in the emergency bay at the hospital in White Harbor Davos directed them to, Arya almost breathes a sigh of relief, until she looks down at Gendry’s lifeless body in her arms and then that fleeting breath gets caught in her throat, a nauseous feeling rising to the surface.

Arya doesn’t register what she’s doing as her body seems to be moving on autopilot now, reaching out to hold onto the man she loves as he’s pulled from her lap and onto a stretcher by medical personnel. She doesn’t want him out of arm’s reach so without really thinking about it, she’s out of the van and keeping step by step with the wheels that’s rolling him through the quiet hospital floor, numb to everything around her except for the quiet. 

Why is it so quiet? It shouldn’t be this quiet.

She gets to the end of the hall and sees the wide double doors that read _medical staff only_ in big letters and holds her breath, knowing that she’s about to be stopped from going any further, but ready to put up a fight, regardless.

A cold hand is pressed to her chest and it makes her spine run cold, “Miss, you can’t go back there.”

Arya tries to push the hand away, and is surprised when the action is halted, almost as if the person it’s attached to knew what was coming.

She doesn’t get the chance to argue as she drops both arms in a helpless huff of defeat and watches as Gendry is wheeled away, to a place she cannot go.

With the adrenaline rushing through her body of getting Gendry the help he needed, she finally seems to run out of strength, and she falls to her knees as loud sobs echo in the empty hallway she’s kneeling in.

She screams and sobs and then screams some more for good measure. Because she can, she can and she’s tired and she’s scared. For Gendry, for her team, for herself and her future, if she still has one.

Salty tears wet the path down redden cheeks as warm hands wrap around her shaking body. She lets Jon pull her to her feet and back down the hall she just came from, because she can’t find it in her to fight him, not right now.

Her head is pounding and the ringing in her ears won’t cease, so she walks as far as Jon carries her. She supposes it’s going to take some time to assess Gendry’s injuries so the only thing she can do is wait, and she fucking _hates_ waiting. 

Arya finds herself being dragged into what looks like a waiting room of some sorts, a small area with chairs and a coffee and vending machine. Not surprising for a hospital, even a quiet one like this.

What does surprise her, however, are the people she finds in it waiting for her when she arrives. She thought she gave specific instructions to everyone before they left Widow’s Watch, but a few didn’t seem to take her words to heart. Figures.

Ygritte joins Jon by his side and next to them is Grey and Missandei, and a worried Hattie and Podrick.

Of course, their best friends in the world would be there for the both of them in their time of need. Tears prickle her grey eyes and she breaks her resolve and crumbles in Missandei’s arms, Hattie just as close helping hold her steady.

After a few minutes of hushed sobs and soothing words of endearment, she wipes her tears away with her sleeve and leans her head against Missandei, while Hattie keeps her hand-held firm in her own, “I thought I told you guys to wait at the cabin?”

Hattie gives her a hint of a smile, “We’re a little stubborn us lot. Besides, there was no way you were keeping us away, bloody fool you are.” Hattie squeezes Arya’s small frame around her own and the love she feels from her touch is overwhelming.

She feels Missandei look Grey’s way before she bends her head down to look at Arya, “Everyone else is on their way, Davos gave them our location. Seems you’re stuck with us for the foreseeable future.”

Before she has a chance to respond, if she could even find the words to describe the love she feels for the people around her, an older gentleman appears before them and lets the small group know that Gendry has his own room and can have them join him if they’d like, even though he remains sedated and unconscious.

The walk through the hospital is long and is invading all of her senses as Arya tries to find it in her to stay calm and not freak out like she desperately wants to at the moment.

She takes the time to gage her surroundings and the few strangers in it, noting the people they pass that aren’t hospital staff don’t seem to be regular civilians. She’s seen enough in her life to assume these people are either military or something like it, with their strong statures and steely faces.

It's cold, like a hospital should be perhaps, or maybe that’s only susceptible to her at the moment, but either way she _hates_ it here. Because it means Gendry isn’t well and in good health, but no matter, she’ll be by his side regardless.

She leans a little more into Hattie’s side, whispering low, “Where are we exactly? This isn’t a normal hospital is it?”

Hattie shakes her head, keeping her voice just as low, although there’s no real reason to, “It’s a privately owned and funded medical facility for the military and the like, very discrete. And the occasional agent if they’re privy to such information. There’s a chance it’s on Mel’s radar, but I’m not worried about it too much, if she’s stupid enough to show her face now, we’ll be ready. And there’s no fucking way she’s getting near him again.”

Arya nods her head softly, keeping her eyes focused on the path in front of her.

They reach the room Gendry’s in and Arya stalls outside the door, hands shaking violently at her side.

She looks down at her feet when she feels a strong hand envelope her left one and she looks up to meet the soft gaze of Grey at her side, and then suddenly Jon on her other, both men ready to steady her to where she needs to be.

Surrounded by her family, she swallows thickly, her throat hoarse and dry from the tears and exhaustion her body holds, and nods to Missandei to open the door and lead them inside.

She surveys the room, a large space with floor length windows with curtains taller than she is, like most things. There’s a couch and two chairs on either side of a small table and more machines that beep and light up than she can count. And as her eyes travel from and to each screen and then to the IV bag that drips liquid through a small tube, that’s when she sees _him_.

The dried bloody coating his face is gone and what remains leaves her breathless. Bruises, black and blue over most of his face with cuts both small and large, some with stiches, others with simple bandage tape.

On of his eyes seemed to get the brute of the punches and could very well be almost swollen shut if he attempted to open it, but no doubt he would anyway, just to be able to look at her. Her eyes trail to the tube that’s poking out of his closed mouth, and her own throat tenses up just at the sight of it.

His hands are splattered with smaller bruises and the look of his wrists has her blood boiling. Black, purple and red align them with marks so deep, he’s sure to have permanent scarring. But worse than that is the swelling. His body catching up to itself in order to get back to normal, and she prepares herself mentally for his injures to get worse before they can get better.

She clenches her fists at her side and manages to get a threat out through gritted teeth, “I’m going to kill that bitch, I _swear_ …”

Okay, maybe she can just have one good lash out first.

Hattie lays a hand on her shoulder, stopping her words, “We’ll get her, love. I promise. But he’s our priority right now.”

She nods at a sleeping Gendry and she relaxes slightly. He is just sleeping, right? Despite what appears to be a machine keeping him that way. A question she’s not sure of the answer and she wishes a damn doctor would come in here already and tell her why he’s not awake.

Sensing her frustration at not having the answers she needs, Grey walks swiftly out of the room and returns a moment later, “His doctor said they’re waiting on his test results and will be in with them shortly. I told them that he’d better hurry before he’s met with the she-wolf herself.”

She smiles, for the first time since they arrived.

“Thanks, Grey. I’m really glad he has you in his life.” She gives him a hug, one with more feeling than when they were reunited just a few hours earlier.

She pulls away and reluctantly walks closer to Gendry’s bedside, happy that he’s wearing a hospital gown to cover up the bruising she saw on his abdomen on the way over. She winces when the image appears in her mind and she shakes it off quickly.

Jon pulls a chair over so that she can sit down and stay close to Gendry. Carefully and ever so slowly, she takes his fragile hand in hers and her own heart nearly beats out of her chest when she notices his heart rate pick up on the monitor at the action. 

Ygritte walks over to her side and gives her a shy smile, “I may not know either of you very well, but I know a love like yours is a very rare and special thing that doesn’t happen for most people in one lifetime.”

She nods to the heart monitor still beeping a little bit more furiously than before and then their joined hands, “He knows you’re here, and I think he knows you’re not letting go.”

She keeps her eyes trained on his closed ones, whispering a breathy and faint _never_ into the stiff air around them.

She looks up at the unfamiliar red head, “Look, I’m still pissed about how you went about contacting me, but at the same time I still need to thank you. If you hadn’t gotten us to him when you did, well…”

She trails off, not wanting to say the words out loud of what might have happened if they had gotten to him a little later than when they did, “Just, _thank you_.”

“I am sorry that I waited so long, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to intervene at all, you and the team you pulled together seemed more than capable of handling her yourself, so I’m sorry for not only over estimating you, but for underestimating the enemy at the same time. I promise you; it won’t happen again. She will be taken down for good.”

“Aye,” her eyes remain fixed on Gendry, “that she will.” 

Time passes slowly and one by one, does the rest of her team and the likes of Ygritte’s join them in Gendry’s room, and she’s thankful it’s big enough for the lot of them, without feeling too crowded.

She’s met with the new stragglers, a weary Davos and a one-eyed Beric, who is now wearing an eyepatch from his own injury on the way to get to the prison Gendry was being held in, something that was quickly taken care of thanks to Sandor. 

Still, she keeps his hand in hers and remains by his side, not leaving until someone drags her lifeless body away from his and damn all who try before then.

Arya’s head lays flat against the bed and his arm, as her eyes trail the blonde-haired boy, they saved from Mel’s grasp at the prison compound. She wants to hate him, wants to blame and punish him for what happened to Gendry, but she can’t find it in her to, not after Gendry gave him the all clear and let them know he was a friend rather than another foe.

She hears chatter, pacing, sighs, and light laughter as she sits and waits for an update or for him to wake up, and she prays to all the Gods it’s the latter before the former. Her companions seem to move in slow motion around her and her mind stays in a foggy daze, not wanting to grasp the reality she’s living in.

It’s only when a doctor walks into the room does her brain catch up with what’s happening and her head snaps up in his direction, along with everyone else’s.

“I suppose this is everyone then?” He looks around and studies each person, “Military.” He waves in the direction of Grey and Jon along with Ygritte and by default, Missandei.

“Espionage,” he says pointedly to Sam, Hattie, Podrick, and Davos.

His eyes land briefly on Beric and Sandor, but he does not speak of their nature.

“Aye. Get on with it then.” The question is answered, but by whom she does not know.

“Right. My apologies, I am Dr. Yoren and I have Mr. Water’s test results back.”

She sits up a little higher and braces herself.

***

It’s bright, maybe a little too bright. His mouth is dry as fuck and his head hurts.

He sighs heavily and winces at the pain it causes in his ribs as his feet hit the ground and he looks up at the wall of the room he’s in. People are talking, but it’s a little muffled and he knocks himself on the side of his head to get the ringing in his ears to stop long enough for him to be able to know where the sound is coming from.

He shakes his head violently to ward off the buzzing and stands up. The voices get louder and louder and he soon realizes he’s not alone, “We are keeping him in a medically induced coma to continue to assess the damage done, but, that’s not all…”

He turns around with a start and his heart threatens to break in his chest at the sight of Arya.

He yells her name, but she doesn’t move, or even look at him for that matter. His eyes focus on her, her red puffy eyes and what she’s holding… “Ah _fuck me_.”

He rests his hands on his hips and laughs loudly as he sees himself hooked up to a thousand machines keeping his body alive.

 _So, this must be what an out of body experience is like_ , he thinks to himself, albeit still out loud since he’s a mere figment of his own being. He looks down at himself wearing a white t-shirt and light blue scrub bottoms, all injuries and bruising are gone, the only indication of where he is, is the little white medical bracelet resting on his wrist.

He may be unconscious, but while he’s still here, he’ll be damned if he doesn’t register what’s happening outside of his own body.

What he finds the most interesting, is that while he can hear and see everyone around him, he can still feel _her_. A faint tickle on his hand, the hand that she refuses to let go of.

He needs to find a way to wake up, to get back in his own body, so he forces himself to listen in on what the doctor is telling them, keeping focus on any pertinent information.

Them. Everyone is here, for him. If spirit Gendry could cry, he probably would.

“Gendry suffered severe bruising and batter to his body, and while those injures will heal, there’s something in his system that won’t, not on its own at least.”

His eyebrows scrunch in confusion, well what the fuck does that mean?

He laughs when Sandor leans up from the wall and voices that same concern, a little more emphasis on the word _fuck_ , in true Sandor stature.

He watches the doctor, sensing he’s skeptical and choosing his next words very carefully as to not cause a riot or panic throughout the room, and that does nothing to reassure him at all.

“It seems Mr. Waters has been…” a small pause, “drugged with something. A substance that’s slowly causing his organs to fail. We think he ingested it, whatever it is.”

Ygritte, he remembers her name from his rescue, looks pissed at him beating around the bush, “You’re saying he’s been poisoned, that it, Doc?”

Dr. Yoren sighs, “Yes. And it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, I have my team working tirelessly to find a cure, but I’m afraid without the proper antidote, he’ll be dead within a few weeks.”

Before anyone can react to that bit of news, Lommy gasps in shock, “That’s not possible.”

Hattie scowls at him, patience wearing as thin as ever, “Speak.”

Lommy clears his throat and tries to explain, “While he was… being held, he wouldn’t eat anything. He refused anything that was put it front of him, he even refused water when she tried to play nice. Most likely for fear of this very thing.” He sighs and continues, “He did have water, but only when I snuck it to him.”

His eyes widen as fear takes over, “But I swear I would never, I swear I didn’t!”

The occupants don’t seem to take his promise seriously, but when Arya speaks, everyone remains quiet and he freezes, waiting to hear her words, “I believe you, Lommy. If Gendry accepted it from you and only you it’s because he trusted that you wouldn’t put him in harm’s way.”

Lommy nods at her acknowledgement of his confession, “But then how…”

He trails off and stares at the ground and that’s when Gendry realizes exactly how, and it makes him want to punch the wall and break his own fucking wrist doing it.

Lommy comes to the same realization, “No, it couldn’t have been when…”

He whispers but it’s no use, he’s been heard and urged to come out with it, “She went to see him, without Stannis, just the one time. I was supposed to be sitting with the guards watching the cameras but when I passed by them in his room with the door open, I hid behind the corner and watched as she…”

Davos loses his cool, and it’s not very often that that happens, so the ones closest to him jump subtly at the rise in his voice, “For fuck’s sake, out with it, lad!”

“She kissed him.” That, that was enough for them to understand.

Three words is all it takes for the room to fall into complete silence, and that is somehow worse than the madness they’re all feeling on the inside as if they were to address it out loud.

She did this to him, and he knows he’s in deep shit now. He just hopes and prays that it doesn’t send Arya into some suicide mission to save him. He can’t have her sacrifice herself as some martyr, not while he’s like… this.

“Well then, we will continue to attempt our own cure, but please, if you can get your hands on the antidote, he needs it the second he can get it.”

With those words, the doctor leaves the room and the eerie emotions that flood over the remaining fifteen occupants, his spirit self-included, is enough to make even the strongest façade shatter like broken glass.

Comforting gestures of love, fists clenched at sides, sputtering of threats and profanities fill the room but all he can focus on is Arya, her eyes locked on his sleeping form.

She’s hurt, scared, and confused, that much is clear to him. But she’s also, hopeful? No that’s not the word he’d use and the one that comes to mind is much scarier.

 _Motivated_.

With no one else paying her much attention, he walks over to her side and ghosts his hand over her hair, knowing he won’t be able to touch her the way he truly aches to, “Please don’t do anything reckless, love. I still need you here when I wake.”

If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear she leans into his faint touch, as if she knows he’s right there beside her.

He takes a step back and watches her carefully as she sighs heavily and removes her hand from his, ready to remove herself from his bedside, causing a tingle to form on his own from the missing warmth and his heartbeat to pick up in pace immensely.

It’s then he realizes how grounded she’s keeping him; with just a simple touch he can stay connected to her and the world and when she let’s go, he loses all sense of contentment.

Arya stares at the monitor in horror at the erratic rhythm, but when she places her hand back in his own and the monitor returns to its normal, steady pace, she smiles at his sleeping form and he returns it just as happily.

She strokes the loose hair against his forehead, “I’m here, love. Please come back to me.”

“That’s all I want, Arry.” _And to get this damn poison out of me._

He watches Arya and the others from a distance as they process the revelation his doctor just laid upon them.

Davos walks up and lays a strong hand on Arya’s shoulder in a small gesture of comfort, “I believe Miss Stark, that the lady Melisandre will be reaching out soon, given the new information.”

Arya doesn’t look at him, but keeps her focus on Gendry instead when she speaks, “You think she’ll want to make a trade? The cure for the flash drive?”

“Aye. And that’s not a decision any of us are in a position to make. I am not speaking of the laws here, I am merely keeping a distance from that kind of activity, ignorance is bliss after all.”

Both Gendry and Arya know that Davos wouldn’t put himself in a position that would go against either of them, nor would he do anything to put any of their lives at risk, he just wants to remain by their side, and still keep them all alive and safe in the game of danger and control they’re playing with the biggest traitor that the country has ever seen.

“I know what she wants Davos. But she’s not getting it. She’s not going to get to watch him die, but she’s not getting that flash drive either. I’ll make sure of it.”

Davos gives her shoulder a light squeeze before he walks away and is soon replaced by Podrick Payne, only standing on Gendry’s other side as to not over crowd her.

“I know this is a dumb question, but how are you holding up?”

“Honestly, if we don’t do something soon, I might so something stupid.”

Podrick smiles as he reaches for Gendry’s hand, and he waits to see how his body will react to the new touch. Much to his surprise, nothing happens. Not like it did when Arya touches him.

“ _Sorry mate, you’re just not as good looking as she is_ ,” he laughs to himself knowing they can’t hear him, but the thought of the act of kindness is appreciated, nonetheless.

He keeps his eyes fixed on grey as she holds his hand with her own, the other resting gently against his forearm.

Except for the fact that he’s acutely aware of his surroundings and Arya’s touch, nothing else feels that much different.

But as soon as he thinks that, the pain begins to settle in.

***

She’s ready to break something or kill someone. And the longer she sits here watching the machines keep his body alive, the latter is looking more and more like the preferred option.

He’s dying, and there’s not a damn thing she can do about it except get the cure from Mel herself, which would be a suicide mission all on its own.

There’s one thing she knows for absolute certainty, when Mel finally does reach out and request a meet, she’s going alone.

She’ll be damned if anyone else she cares about gets hurt because of her. This is a confrontation that’s long overdue and she needs to do it alone. This isn’t anyone else’s fight, only her own.

She feels her eyes drifting close, ready for sleep to take over and she fights to stay awake.

She faintly registers the commotion happening by the door. 

Everyone is still there, save for Tormund who opens the door to the hallway and stops short when he sees something on the ground. She can’t be bothered to worry about what it is, but when Ygritte, Jon, and Davos pass the bouquet of orange roses amongst themselves and read the card attached to it with strained expressions, her attention perks up tenfold.

Her hand squeezes Gendry’s a little tighter when she watches them watch her. She turns to him and whispers a soft, ‘I’ll be right back,’ hoping it doesn’t spark an outburst in the machines, she reluctantly releases her grip and sighs with relief when the machines remain steady.

She walks over to the quiet group and forcefully takes the card and the vase from Jon’s grip, reading the only two words written in elegant handwriting, _Valar Dohaeris._

Arya does her best not to panic, but a slight sob breaks out of her throat involuntarily, “It’s her. She knows we’re here.”

Before anyone can react, loud alarms pierce through the room, emanating from Gendry.

She watches in terrified horror as his body convulses in shock and a team of medical staff rush in with a crash cart, urging everyone to stay back as a woman places the paddles against Gendry’s now bare chest, “Clear!”

Tears fill her eyes as she drops the vase of flowers on the ground, shattering it into a million little pieces and flooding the floor with the green plant water.

She backs away slowly, feeling helplessness take over her body and soon she’s running out of the room and down the hall, eager to get away from the pain that’s blinding her.

It’s too much and she finds herself wandering outside, relinquishing in cold northern air.

She falls forward, pressing her palms into her knees as she struggles to control her breathing.

She panicked at seeing Gendry begin to crash, she knows that and she shouldn’t have run away and just as she turns around to run back inside to see him, Hattie appears in front of her with a soft smile, “He’s stable.”

She falls forward again, landing her head into Hattie’s chest and holding on to the woman for dear life as the tears fall. After a few minutes she collects herself and tells Hattie that she needs just another moment before she joins her inside. Hattie gives her a quick kiss on her forehead before she heads back inside and leaves Arya alone once more.

She leans back against the cool brick wall and closes her eyes, willing to free her mind of all fear, albeit temporarily. She knows she has to stay strong, for him and for the fight that’s coming. And it’s coming quicker than she thought it would. _Good_ , she thinks to herself, ready to see Mel get what she deserves after all these years.

The sudden ringing, she hears a few feet away startles her and she realizes it’s an old payphone, seeming to ring just for her since no one else is alone and she has the distinct feeling she’s being watched at this very moment.

She has no doubt who waits on the other end of the line.

She holds it to her ear but says nothing, waiting for Mel to speak first.

“Valar Morghulis, but not all men Miss Stark, you can still save one. Bring me the drive and you’ll get the cure. Fail me, and he dies.”

She takes a deep breath and clenches her free fist at her side. She’s ready and ironically, she’s _alone_.

“Where?”

“King’s Landing, where we first met. You have four hours.”

She sees red at her words.

“It’s going to take a hell of a lot longer for me to get the drive and then there in four hours!”

“I suggest you hurry then, child. I do not like to be kept waiting.”

The line goes dead and Arya drops the phone in a blind panic, letting it dangle from the box it’s attached to as she runs away from the hospital, her family and her life as she knows it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My outline is only one page now, brb. 😭😭😭😭😭😭
> 
> And in the words of our dumbass president, this next chapter is going to be 'YUUGEEEE'


	28. We're Not Nameless, We're Not Faceless, We Were Born For Greatness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mel gives her a charming smile, clear warning in her wrinkled facial features, “I have others just outside. I’m afraid you’re outnumbered my dear.”  
> There it is the appearance of having the upper hand she was waiting for.  
> Arya smiles brightly, all teeth and all bite.  
> Here we go.  
> She tucks a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear and adjusts the earpiece centered there, “Are you sure about that?” 
> 
> "Born For Greatness" By Papa Roach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! 
> 
> While this chapter lacks a certain bull-headed bastard, it is the confrontation you've all been waiting for so I hope it'll suffice. 
> 
> Also, I went back and forth on this chapter A LOT, so idk? Be nice?
> 
> And I only edited this in parts, so there may be mistakes. I'm just too impatient to get this out.

_So, if you're running, stop running_

_One life, one chance, start living_

_Sing it louder just to let the world know_

_No, we're not nameless, we're not faceless_

_We were born for greatness_

Present Day- White Harbor to King’s Landing

_3 Hours, 49 Minutes…_

She’s doing it again, involuntarily of course, but still she can’t seem to control her actions as her heart steers her mind to force her body to do all the legwork and run on auto pilot to something she knows can save Gendry’s life.

It’s something she doesn’t even have to think about really, she doesn’t have any other options. Mel’s pretty damn good at doing that to her.

The farther away from the hospital she gets, she becomes instantly aware of two things. The first is that she’s being followed, by one of Mel’s men no doubt which is how the red bitch knew where she was in the first place and the exact moment to call that payphone.

The next is that she needs to ditch her tail and possibly the clothes she’s wearing so she won’t be spotted as quickly the second time around.

There are other things that she’ll need to focus on during the next few hours, but as for right now, those are the two at the top of her priority list. She really shouldn’t be doing this alone, but she doesn’t have time to look back on that now.

She walks down the street and keeps her head hung low, but her eyes are strong with determination and remain focused on her surroundings. As the light of day dwindles into twilight, the dusk sunset keeps enough glow to brighten her path as the orange and pink waves drift across the northern sky.

Nightfall will come soon enough and with it the darkness she’ll be more vulnerable in. She needs to get ahead of Mel’s game while she still has a fleeting chance of staying head to head with the enemy. She’s known Melisandre long enough to know she’d have to pull off a miracle to even be one step ahead and with Gendry’s life at stake, she’s not in her best mindset right now. He is all she’s worried about and Mel knows this and played right into her hand. The older woman always said that love is weakness and when you are weak, that’s when the enemy strikes the hardest.

And striking she is.

Just as she did five years ago.

Arya keeps a steady and swift pace along the sidewalk heading into downtown where the local nightlife is just starting to gain in momentum. She takes the opportunity to fall into a crowd that’s gathered just outside a popular pub where a live band will be playing later that night. She makes her way through the hustle of soft and happy faces and inside where there’s twice as many people. With the short distraction, she slips into the women’s restroom, but knows that eyes will fall on her once again as soon as she emerges back into the open.

She looks around at the exhilarated faces and a ping of jealous stirs within her at how simple and carefree their lives are. Something she’s never had the luxury of experiencing.

Arya leans against the sink and splashes some cold water on her face, feeling her heartbeat increase in rhythm knowing that by now, Hattie and the others have probably noticed her MIA status and are working to track her down. She has to find a way to get out of this city and into King’s Landing with enough time to scope out the location she’ll be meeting Melisandre at. One thing she knows for sure is if she wants to accomplish exactly that, mark out any vantage points and escapes routes, she’ll have to get there at least an hour early, for Mel was always one for punctuality. The last thing she needs to happen is to slip up and get captured the same way Gendry did and not be able to get the cure to him once the exchange is made. At this point, there is no telling what Melisandre would do in order to save herself. And she really doesn’t want to stick around long enough to find out.

She dries her damp, pale skin off with a paper towel as a group of girls laugh their way inside the room, throwing their coats and bags down on a small sofa before finding empty stalls.

Once the women are distracted and still talking amongst themselves, something she cares nothing about she realizes, Arya rifles through their belongings and manages to find something to change her hairstyle for the moment, pinning it up on her head, along with a long brown trench-coat that will suffice as a suitable cover for a quick getaway.

She shimmies out of her own green military style jacket and grabs the trench-coat, replacing it in the pile with her own before she swiftly and ever so quietly slips it over her shoulders and leaves the room. She doubts the girls even noticed she was there in the first place.

Her now messy bun bounces softly on top of her head as she fluffs the collar up on the coat and makes her way through the crowd and out the back exit where the band is walking in with their equipment and instruments, eyeing her in an appreciative way that does not go unnoticed by Arya.

A gentleman with soft green eyes and shaggy blonde hair gives her a side smile as she passes by him, “Good evening, boys.”

She smiles politely with a nod, glancing around the small group as she disappears out the door and into the chilly Northern night.

She makes her way down the back alley of the club, staying alert on anything that seems out of place. It’s only when she gets about a mile away, keeping a leisurely pace as to not bring unwanted attention to herself, does she breathe a heavy sigh of relief, knowing she managed to ditch Mel’s minion that was following her and can now travel down to the capital without the added stress.

_3 Hours, 23 minutes…_

After hailing a cab and convincing the driver to give her a lift without compensation, she finds herself wandering down the quiet streets of Moat Cailin, knowing she needs to find a way to get to King’s Landing faster than car or train.

She wraps the coat tighter around her waist, buttoning it to the top, covering her tear stained blouse and gently wipes her sweaty palms across her blue jeans.

As she approaches the train station that runs along the King’s Road, an idea hits her fast and hard and she races to the nearest pay phone to place a call with nervous, shaking hands, “Hey, it’s Nymeria. I need a favor.”

_2 Hours, 59 minutes…_

Arya thanks the driver as she gets out of the town car and walks towards the small private airplane waiting for her arrival.

The nighttime haunts her as she moves with heavy footsteps, her legs feel like led as she carries herself closer and closer to the confrontation, she’s been anticipating for over a year now.

An older man helps her on board and as she steps into the cabin, she’s met with Olenna Tyrell for the first time in her life. She should be more excited meeting one of her long-time idols, but the circumstances of this impromptu meeting, keeps her from showing her true colors around the MI6 legend.

“Miss Stark, it’s nice to finally put a face to the name.”

A face to a name, now that makes her laugh subtly to herself. If she only knew the depths of the irony of that simple statement.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me. I’ll be sure to repay the favor as soon as I possibly can.”

“Nonsense, child. Anyone close to my Hattie and Mr. Davos is family to me, so that doesn’t make this a favor of any kind. Whatever you need from me, you can have without question.”

Arya looks at her pointedly and without emotion, letting it fade away and replacing it with her stoic expression she’s so used to showing, “Do you have it?”

She follows the direction of wise eyes and sees the small box underneath the seat, grabbing it without question and holding it close to her body.

“Do you think she’ll get her hands on it?”

“I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that.” Her face remains neutral, and on the box in her lap. There’s no fucking way she’s getting what she really wants.

Olenna gets up from her seat then and makes her way to the door of the plane, “I wish you the best of luck, child. Please do us all the courtesy and put an end to that bitch for good, yeh?”

Arya smiles slightly, she wants to say she will without a doubt, but there’s no way to know for sure what will happen in a few short hours, “I’ll try my best.”

Olenna grins and as she steps off the plane, Arya stands abruptly, catching her attention once more, “Oh, and I want to hear a certain story about you and Davos, maybe over dinner with Hattie and the others?”

Arya watches as Olenna laughs and gives her a wave in acceptance of the proposition as she disappears into the same car, she just occupied moments before.

_1 hour, 38 minutes…_

With just under two hours until the scheduled time to meet her destiny, Arya stops on the old shores and breathes in the salty seawater of Blackwater Bay and closes her eyes, taking a final moment to just _be_ in the comfort of the darkness surrounding.

She hasn’t been in this place for so long and it takes her back to easier, albeit painful times in her younger years. Times when she wasn’t a faceless man, or an agent of the intelligence bureau, a time when she was just Arry. Not a Stark, not _no one_ , but just a little girl lost in this world. 

She no longer craves the anonymity she once did.

She craves so much, a home with Gendry, a life so much different than the one she’s been ultimately forced into. 

She walks solemnly along the shore, passed the docks and shipping yards, towards her final destination that she can already see in the distance lit up by glowing streetlamps, the memories of days past flooding her mind for the first time ever.

***

_A long time ago…_

_She’s alone and scared, the same as it’s been since she left home all those months ago. She doesn’t know where she’s going or what her path is, all she knows is that she can never go back to Winterfell. There are too many painful memories there that still haunt her dreams, no matter how far away she gets._

_She’s been in King’s Landing for almost a year now and this is the first time she’s wandered down to the farmers market, too scared to be recognized even amongst the crowd of faces as a lot of prominent people in the city frequent the spot every time it’s in town. But she’s out of what little money she’s managed to save recently, doing the odd jobs around town and is desperate for something to eat so she figures a slight of hand here and there while the vendors are too preoccupied with paying customers wouldn’t hurt anyone._

_She hopes._

_She pulls the hood up on her old coat and hides her face as best as she can. With her baggy old clothes and face and hair hidden, it wouldn’t be hard for her to pretend to be a little boy, a runaway perhaps hopping from town to town ditching everyone who’s ever tried to tie them down to one permanent place._

_It’s fairly busy as she expected, but that’s a good thing, easier for her to slip around without being noticed._

_She’s always wondered why they hold the Farmers Market in the capital by the shipping and fishing docks just outside an old warehouse that looks more like a former slaughterhouse than anything else because it always smells like stinky fish down here._

_Why on Earth would people want to buy fruits and vegetables while sniffing the awful aroma of dead fish and shrimp?_

_As much as it reeks, that’s not going to deter her from getting some food and bread. Maybe a few things if her disguise holds out along with her coat pockets, assuming they expand enough without being to obvious that they’re full to the brim._

_After subtly pocketing various handfuls of nuts, she casually saunters over to the fruit area, eyeing some particularly crisp looking red apples._

_She gets three in her pockets before she feels her luck is about to run out at that particular stand and sure enough, she’s been spotted by the owner and called out in front of everyone._

_She runs away quickly but is stopped abruptly by a hooded red figure blocking her path._

_The apples bounce out of her jacket with a quiet thud as she looks up and meets a pair of mysterious blue eyes._

_“I’m sorry, I didn’t…”_

_Her words die in her throat as the woman with dark red hair grabs her by the chin, eyeing her curiously, “You’re not a thief, are you? No, you are so much more than that. I see marvelous things in your future, child.”_

_With squished cheeks and pouted lips, all she can do is stare as she’s being examined as if she’s some sort of alien from outer space._

_Well today just got super fucking weird and she wishes that she just stayed in her tent in the woods and slept the day away with the other campers there._

_A few feet behind her she can hear mutterings of curse words and threats, to which the red woman stops with a simple wave of her hand, talking to all that dare to look upon the dramatic scene._

_“Get the girl anything she desires here at the market, on my expense.”_

_Shit, well so much for pretending to be a boy today._

_She looks back up as the woman hands her a fresh, unbruised apple from a nearby crate, a different vendor than the one she just stole from, “Eat, my dear. I have a feeling we’ll meet again very soon.”_

_She didn’t get a chance to thank the stranger as she disappeared just as quickly as she appeared._

_She gathered an abundance of food that day and unbeknownst to her, it was one of her last days living on the streets._

_The red woman was right, they would meet again one day very soon._

***

_57 minutes left…_

With her hands tucked deep in her pockets, she makes her way to the old warehouse they once held the farmers market, until they finally had enough complaints of the fish smell that they moved into deeper into the city, which didn’t exactly help but people still go and people still complain, as they always will.

She dares not wait and have this confrontation out in the open where they first met all those years ago, even if the blackened night could shield them from prying eyes, so instead she opts to wait inside, away from curious gazes and whispered chatter and hopes that Mel will get the silent message and take it upon herself to find her where she waits.

But before that, she scopes out the vicinity. How many exits there are, how many ships are docked including how many civilians are nearby, which given the late hour are thankfully not many, how many places to shield herself from an unexpected gunfight, to which she is always prepared for, and how many nearby rooftops there are that could harbor a sniper or two, not that she’s stupid enough to give them the satisfaction of being in their line of vision.

_48 minutes left…_

As she stands there waiting, she thinks about why she’s doing this. She thinks about Gendry, about all the lives Mel has hurt over the years and how she just wants it all to end already.

And one way or another, it’s going to end. Tonight.

She’s not leaving here without the cure to save Gendry’s life _and_ Melisandre six feet under, so to speak.

Just as her mind trails to all the people in her life, Gendry at the forefront, she hears hushed heel clicks become louder and louder until the source appears and comes from the same entrance Arya used. She’s met with a woman that she wants to see in a body bag more than anyone else on this planet.

Right on time, just as she predicted.

And the sight alone makes her stomach curl as she watches the wheels turn in viciously blue and cruel eyes.

She’d rather see a different pair of blue. Lighter, happier, full of adoration and love for her and her alone. 

“You’re early.” Arya states, feigning surprise and a hinderance of annoyance.

“As are you.” As always, Mel remains unaffected, at least seemingly so. She really is an emotionless, cold hearted bitch.

“Are you alone?” Melisandre asks, looking around the warehouse, home to a blood-stained concrete floor, confirming Arya’s slaughterhouse suspicions from the first time and only other time she was here all those years ago.

She stays quiet, her face void of emotion. Her façade is all she has at the moment and she’ll be damned if she lets it break now.

“I guess it should be a rhetorical question, after all, you were alone when I first met you and I suppose that’s the way it will always be. No one every truly understood you except for me. We’re alike in so many ways, you and I.”

A cold wind blows through the large open doors, sending a slight shiver down Arya’s spine, but nevertheless, she stays strong, both perplexed and curious as to what’s running through the devil her self’s mind, “Is that so?”

Without really thinking about it, her hands travel to her back, folded there right by her gun just in case she needs it quickly.

“Aye. That’s why you made the perfect apprentice, you had no attachments, no personal connections. It’s a shame you outgrew that, you had so much potential.”

She’s honestly seeing red now, hot hatred for the woman standing in front of her for completely destroying her life, “You mean for me to become just like you? A monster?”

She removes one of her hands and clenches her fist tight at her side, the other hovering over her weapon, something that does not go unnoticed by Melisandre, “Easy now, child. Unlike you, I am not alone, and I’d hate for there to be unwanted bloodshed.”

Arya shrugs, feigning indifference as Mel watches her closely.

Sure, enough just as the words are spoken, they’re joined by four armed men who come to stand at Mel’s side, ready to strike once the orders are given.

Arya laughs as she expected exactly this too, “Of course, you’re not. Always have someone around to do your dirty work for you. It’s pathetic really, you’ve worked so hard to keep your big empire of crime going and you can’t even give yourself all the credit for it. If it wasn’t for them, you’d be powerless. Tell me, how many people have you killed yourself? How much blood do you have on your hands that’s not on there’s? How many people have you persuaded successfully without the threat of your men here?”

Melisandre stays noiseless, a knowingly smug smile on her face at Arya’s little rant, “You can’t answer because we both know I’m right. And one of these days your reign of power will end, and you will have nothing. And you will _be_ nothing, and that’s the last thing on this Earth that you want. Being powerless.”

Mel smiles brighter then, mocking Arya’s words with venom on her tongue, “Is that so?”

Arya folds her hands in front of her, keeping her gaze locked on the redhead, not daring for a second to look away, and shifts her weight from foot to foot, “Aye.”

Her patience is wearing thin, but she can’t let it be known she’s in any kind of a hurry, not only to get back to Gendry with the antidote, but just to get away from her because the mere sight makes her skin crawl.

With a slight turn of her head, Mel’s men stand up a little straighter, keeping a tighter hold on their assault rifles as she turns back to face Arya with a renewed sort of confidence.

Arya scoffs bitterly at her tenacity and the blatant show of power, “I’m not fearful of them, or you for that matter.”

Mel gives her a charming smile, clear warning in her wrinkled facial features, “I have others just outside. I’m afraid you’re outnumbered my dear.”

There it is the appearance of having the upper hand she was waiting for.

Arya smiles brightly, all teeth and all bite.

Here we go.

She tucks a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear and adjusts the earpiece centered there, “Are you sure about that?”

Mel cocks her head subtly to the side, intrigued as to what she’s getting at, or in her twisted mind, what game she’s playing, silently prompting her to continue, “See, you’re wrong. I was never alone.”

Her eyes widen dramatically to the sound of rapid gunfire coming from just outside the four walls surrounding them.

Arya keeps her eyes trained on Melisandre while her brain falls to the sounds in her ear.

“The one on the roof of the building next door? Taken out by MI6 badass Hattie Shaw. Oh wait, hold on,” she holds a finger up before breaking out into a fit of laughter, “no, I’m not telling her that.”

Arya drops her hand and smiles at Mel, “She sends her regards and a rather unpleasant greeting that I’m not too comfortable with repeating, something about, yeah, no, I can’t.”

Both of their heads jerk up in unison to the banging on the roof, a clear struggle before three loud pops

“The guard you had on the roof just above us, killed by Podrick Payne, I believe you’ve met before.”

She listens as Podrick mumbles a few words, “He said, _fuck you_.” 

Mel starts to show signs of discomfort as she balances out her weight, clearly distressed from the unwanted guests.

“The back alley that leads to the docks, that was Ygritte Wilde. Gorgeous redhead, prettier than the likes of your nasty ass. She’s got a fiery temper and a wicked sense of humor. Hired by the King to investigate you and Stannis Baratheon.”

Arya begins pacing back and forth in the space of her current position, “Let’s see who’s next.”

She holds up a finger with a smug grin, listening intently as the rest of her team takes out Mel’s guards, “The man occupying the shipping yard, taken out courtesy of my dear friend Sandor Clegane. Big fellow, grunts a lot, loves the words _cunt_ and _fuck_ , he grows on you,” she says with a fondness in her tone of voice that makes Mel both pale and see red simultaneously.

Arya laughs loudly, causing Mel to scoff in exasperation, “He said he’ll see you in hell.”

More pacing and a clearing of a throat from Mel has Arya smiling smugly to herself.

“And last but not least, the two just outside were just disarmed and knocked unconscious by Tormund Giantsbane. Another big guy that loves bear hugs and hates you, but that’s not all that surprising is it? You have more enemies than friends, so you’re used to that, right? He says you give all red heads a bad name, and I have to agree. By the way is that all natural or are you a bottle ginger?”

Arya laughs at her own joke, while Melisandre stays quiet, still utterly confused and visibly shaken as to how Arya’s entire team managed to slip between her fingers and get the best of her guards on the outside. But nevertheless, she stands tall, confident at the men she has left standing by her side.

One by one, Arya’s team makes their way inside, clad in regular clothes and protective gear, only the best MI6 has to offer. Bullet-proof vests, thigh holsters for guns and the best weapons they’re trained and skilled to use, Hattie on one side, Jon on her other.

“Didn’t even break a sweat, you sure do know how to pick ‘em, don’t you Red?” Hattie smiles at Melisandre who keeps her focus on her target, Arya.

“Here let me introduce you to the ones that I didn’t mention before, they may not have had a hand in taking out your men, but they still deserve the spotlight, don’t you think?”

Melisandre gives her a curt nod, feigning boredom but Arya knows better, “If you must.”

“I believe you already know Agents Davos Seaworth and Samwell Tarly. And here we have Jon Snow, Yara Greyjoy, and Beric Dondarrion, both dear friends and family.”

Arya’s happy demeanor shifts instantly into something darker and more sinister, held with a certain vengeance that’s been simmering for over five years now, “And you know my best mates, Grey and his wife Missandei, whom you had the pleasure of meeting back in Naath.”

She watches as Grey clenches his jaw tightly and subtly brings Missandei closer to his side in a protective manner and it makes her heart clench at knowing Gendry would undoubtedly be doing the same with her. 

Mel waves a hand in the air and then closes her fingers together once more resting against her belly, “Why all the silly introductions, what are you getting at child? What’s the point of this?”

Arya steps forward slightly as everyone else watches the two hash it out, “There’s no point really if I’m being completely honest, I just wanted you to know their names. Their faces. I wanted you to know the people responsible for your demise. No matter how many times you tried to guide me down a path you wanted, a path of pure isolation, you can finally see how futile that was. I’m not faceless, Mel. We’re not faceless and we’re not _no one_.”

Another step, “I’ll never be alone again. This is my pack, just minus one very important person and him not being here is the only thing keeping you breathing right now, because if he were, I’d have no doubt you’d be dead already by his hands.”

One more step, now so close from her ruthless enemy that she can feel the heat and fury radiating off of her. She leans forward and whispers right into her face, highlighting the poison in her voice “I may not be alone, but you sure are.”

Melisandre takes a step back with a heavy sigh, mostly of annoyance that she has to stand here and suffer through Arya’s nonsense most likely, “If that’s what you believe. Now if you don’t mind, I really should be on my way and I think that with as many people here that you care so much about, I assume that you wouldn’t want bullets flying mindlessly through the air so an all-out gunfight is to be spared. Do you have what I want?”

Arya laughs amusedly and tosses her a small thumb drive, “You can have it, but it’s not going to do you much good.”

She catches it lightly and examines in with careful blue eyes before snapping them back to Arya, “And why’s that?”

“It’s empty.” Arya tucks her hands back into her coat pockets and watches the wheels turn in her mind with wide, furious eyes.

“You’d really let him die in order to stop me?” She’s had enough and Arya has her right where she wants her.

“He’s not going to die.” She says it so matter-of-factly that Mel lets out a snorted laugh.

“Without the cure, he surely will my darling child.”

Arya pulls a small vile out of her pocket and holds it in the air between her pointer finger and thumb, letting the amber liquid inside rattle quietly, “Oh, you mean this cure?”

Recognizing her only leverage instantly, Mel’s face pales and then turns a bright shade of red, highlighting her delicate features to a perfect contrast against her dark maroon hair.

Arya holds out her hand in Davos’ direction as he steps forward, keeping his eyes on his superior the whole time, “Please take this to Gendry. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Melisandre whips her head around to face the men standing beside her, “Stop him!”

They do not move an inch, eyes focused on everything and nothing at the same time.

Davos takes the vile from Arya and walks quickly out of the back of the warehouse without so much as a word or hesitation, to which Arya breathes a warming sigh of relief. It’s almost over now.

Mel is livid and yelling ferociously at her guards, “What are you doing?! Go after him!”

But still, they make no room to move from their statuesque nature, causing her to fume even more, which Arya interrupts with a strong and determined voice.

“You should have learned a long time ago to never underestimate me, especially when it comes to threatening the people I love most, and now it’s costing you everything. I may have been easily persuaded back then, but I’ve learned from my mistakes and I will never let you do that to me ever again.”

Mel remains lifeless, too stunned by where this is going to do anything but listen as Arya speaks, “You see, you’ve always been one step ahead of me in this little cat and mouse game. You didn’t exactly say to meet you alone, and I had every intention of doing just that. But then it struck me, I don’t need to do anything alone anymore. I have a family, a badass fucking family that hates you almost as much as I do, so when I called for a ride to get here on time,” she turns to Hattie then, “by the way, your grandmother is a fucking awesome and I’ll have to thank her again very soon,” she turns back to Mel, “I also made other calls as well.”

She’s walking around where Mel stands then, each guard stepping a few feet back to give them space as if Arya is pulling all the strings, “First, I made an encrypted call on Olenna’s satellite phone to Sam on a secure line and told him of the time and place to meet, to which another jet from Tyrell was sent to their location for pickup.”

“And then, and listen good because this is my favorite part,” she smiles and then whispers in her ear with a dark laugh laced with black humor of triumph, “then I made another call to an old friend, who then called another old friend and so on and so on…”

She continues her trek around where Mel is shocked senseless in her place, “You see, my time in Jaqen’s little club turned out to be very useful, despite its recent dismemberment. Not all that joined could stomach the real conquest of what we did, some trained for a period of time and then decided the life wasn’t for them, so they left and swore an oath to never speak of it again. Until today that is. You may now our faces, but do you really know theirs?”

Mel’s eyes narrow at Arya as her lips form a thin line of discomfort, “I made a call to someone that got out a long time ago, while I was still undercover for you and I explained to them the real workings of you and Jaqen and how I destroyed the faceless men after I found out what you were doing and let’s just say they were a little more than willing to dive back into the life for one last mission.”

Her eyes widen so dramatically as realization dawns on her, that it makes Arya laugh loudly and a little menacingly as she waves her arms out in front of her, “So, let me introduce you to a few more enemies that you made recently.”

Arya watches and smiles blissfully as the men hired to keep Melisandre safe from danger shed their faces to reveal someone else entirely. Minor gasps and mumbled words come from her family behind her, despite them already having knowledge of how The Faceless Men worked, it’s still a shock to the system to see it play out right in front of your own two eyes. 

The now true identities of the allies Arya recruited are revealed for all to see, showing Mel for the first time ever, how truly alone, outnumbered and powerless she really is.

While Mel keeps her façade up, she takes the momentary distraction of everyone in the room to make an attempt to slip away from the crowd, which is completely redundant as the man on her right grabs her forcefully by the arm, stopping her in her tracks, “Oh, no you don’t. You’re not going anywhere.”

His grip is strong and no matter how much she flails about, she’s utterly powerless.

For the first time in her life, she feels a euphoria like no other. But then that same feeling slowly starts to ebb away.

The youngest Stark daughter begins to think about all the hurt she’s caused. To her family, Gendry…

Before she really thinks about what she’s doing, her gun is pulled from her waistband and pointed straight at Mel’s head with unsteady hands.

Hot, angry tears fill her eyes as hatred consumes every inch of her being, and it would be so easy for her to just pull the trigger and end it all right here and now, but a hand on her shoulder keeps her from doing just that.

“Think about this, girl. Thinking about what you’re about to do.” Sandor’s voice grounds her and she releases a shaky breath.

He’s right, she’s better than this. She’s better than _her_. She doesn’t want to be a killer and killing someone that’s unarmed is something that _she_ would do. 

She lowers her weapon and speaks with bitterness in her throat, “You’re not worth it. You’re not worth any more blood on my hands. I’m not a monster. I’m not you and I never will be.”

Melisandre almost looks relieved at having her life spared, not that she has much left of one.

After concealing her gun, Arya crosses her arms over her chest and gives the elder red head a smug grin as Ygritte joins her side, grabbing Mel’s other arm to restrain her hands behind her back, “You’re under arrest, for murder, treason, and a shit load of other things, you _evil cunt_. The King wants you in his custody right away and I am more than happy to bring your head to him on a spike, but unfortunately for me and lucky for you, he prefers you alive to be tried and hopefully hung for your crimes.”

The men that came to Arya’s assistance bow out gracefully considering their jobs are now done and can return back to their normal lives as everyone slowly makes their way over to Arya’s side, congratulating her with hugs and pats on the back.

Jon joins Ygritte on Mel’s other side and remarks disdainfully, “Take a good look around, this is the last time you’ll ever see the light of day.”

The couples wander off for a loving embrace as Sandor and Beric stand stiffly, watching Arya as Tormund makes his way over to his little wolf, holding a 9mm in both hands excitedly as he squints and points it around the room, mimicking false firing, “Look at me, I’m like one of you guys now. Only cooler and much better looking.”

He looks at Melisandre and does his best impression of a stealthy MI6 agent and his best Clint Eastwood, narrowed eyes and all before pointing the gun at her and then…

Everyone around him ducks suddenly when a loud pop reverberates off the steal walls and the bullet lands smack in the middle of Melisandre’s forehead, her now lifeless body falling onto the floor out of Ygritte and Jon’s grasp who are crouched down where they stand with wide eyes.

Tormund’s shocked expression has them all confused as to what the bloody hell just happened.

His voice, higher in tone than his usual gruff hoarseness, “What the fuck?!! I thought it was empty or filled with blanks or something, who the bloody fuck gave me a loaded gun?!”

Not wanting to hold onto the thing any longer, he lifts his arm to throw it away from his body, which earns simultaneous inhales of breath. 

“NOOO!” Screams of protest fill the room as they each dive for the gun before he throws it to the ground and another bullet is unconventionally released.

Podrick is the first one to grab a hold of it and quickly switches on the safety before emptying the magazine _and_ the chamber and throws it across the room and out of Tormund’s reach.

Jon shakes his head, “I thought it would be a good thing for you to be armed, everyone else is armed!”

“So, you’re telling me, I was given that thing for protection that I never even needed as we were safe the whole time? I don’t even bloody know how to use that thing!”

“I didn’t know that!” Jon throws his arms up in the air.

“Stop yelling at me!” Tormund mimics the action.

Hattie walks up to him and Arya who remains stunned where they stand, “Did that really just happen?”

Arya’s grey meets Hattie’s blue, a small smile tugging at her lips at the ridiculousness of it all and a moment later, both women erupt in a fit of laughter.

Tormund seems to be panicking as he rubs his beard and paces around, “Oh fuck, fuck. Am I going to get… am I in trouble for that? I didn’t mean to, really… Fuck!”

Jon’s in front of him in the blink of an eye, “No mate, we all saw what happened. It was an accident, you didn’t know that it was loaded, and I should have given you a clear warning, we’ll explain all of that when the time comes. But for precautions, you are hereby never to own a gun for the rest of your life.”

Murmurs of _agreed_ and _yes, definitely_ fill the room as everyone else runs the motions of what he inexplicably did. 

That earns laughs and giggles from everyone including the big guy himself, “Deal. I hate those fucking things. I’m much deadlier with an axe myself.” He adds a charming wink to his words. 

Jon sighs and hangs his head while patting Tormund on the shoulder, “Seven hells, mate.”

Ygritte walks up to Arya and Hattie, “Go, I’ll talk to my superiors and get this all straightened out. Go be with your boy and we’ll be in touch.”

Arya sighs and hugs Ygritte tightly while tears fall down her cheeks, the emotions threatening to overwhelm her to her core.

After a brief farewell to Jon and a promise to see each other soon, Hattie pulls Arya into her side, urging some of the others to follow and others to stay and help sort out the mess they made, “Come on, let’s make sure Davos gets that cure to him. I know as well as you that you should be the first person he sees when he opens his eyes again. If it’s Davos or Lommy, he might just fall back into the coma.”

She wants to laugh at Hattie’s attempt at humor, but she can’t, and the notion is noted between the two. 

Arya can only smile, her heart beating so rapidly she feels like it could explode straight through her rib cage. She can’t find the words, nothing in that moment could explain what she’s feeling.

Something she has never felt in her entire life.

 _Free_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Gendrya is coming, I swear to all the Gods they'll get their happy ending. ♥


	29. He Said Forever And He'll Never Let Her Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before he can take a step towards them, he’s halted by Arya’s arms, pinning him in place as she stands on her tiptoes to place a hard, warm kiss to his cold lips.  
> He pulls back and eyes her appreciatively, “What was that for?”  
> She shrugs her shoulders and wipes his bottom lip with her thumb, “Because I can.” 
> 
> "Because We Can" by Bon Jovi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This feels late, like I should have given it to you all sooner, but better late than never, right?
> 
> Huge shout out to @shayarbel for all her love through this. I truly don't deserve her.

_I don't wanna be another wave in the ocean_

_I am a rock not just another grain of sand_

_I wanna be the one you run to when you need a shoulder_

_I ain't a soldier but I'm here to take a stand_

_Because we can_

Present Day- Somewhere over the Eyrie

Arya stares blankly at the darkness outside the small window of the plane, her grey eyes blurry with warm unshed tears of utter hope and happiness, something she never let consume her until now, with a smile taunting the outer edges of her pink lips. 

Now, she has no reason to turn those feelings away. To bury them within the deepest part of her soul.

She’s finally free. And in a few short hours, Gendry will be healthy and on his way to a full recovery. She hopes.

She’s not daft enough to think that there won’t be repercussions from what Melisandre did to him, to the both of them, but she’s confident in their future enough to know that they can get through anything together and as long they have each other, they can conquer anything life throws their way.

Sitting on the one of the two recliner chairs the Tyrell jet has to offer, Arya absentmindedly plays with the necklace on her chest, Gendry’s penny necklace he put around her as he confessed his love, letting her know that she’s his whole world, feeling the cool copper flip between her fingertips as hushed chatter flows in the air around her as her family revels in their recent triumph.

She’s not sure what’s supposed to happen next, what she’s meant to do with her life now, _who_ she’s meant to be. She’s spent the latter half of her life doing things she thought were right, for all the wrong reasons and the better part of a year on the run, looking over her shoulder around every corner. Something that’s second nature to her now and she supposes always will be. If not out of habit, then out of an instinct to always protect herself, knowing that no matter if Melisandre is not a threat anymore, there may be one or two still out there. Just because the devil herself is gone, doesn’t mean that the demons are as well. Bad guys come in an abundance and have never been in short supply.

All she knows for sure is that she’ll be with Gendry as she figures everything out, and she’s in no hurry to do that anytime soon. She also knows that the people around her, her family both old and new will soon part ways, each heading back to live their own lives in their own little worlds, worlds she’ll still be a part of in her own way. Family is forever and she knows her family isn’t going anywhere.

But her mind begins to wander to more pressing matters.

With both directors out of commission, the agency is sure to be in ruins soon if the higher ups don’t figure out a way to keep things calm and collected, she’s no doubt Davos will play a hand in figuring out what comes next for MI6, Hattie and Pod also at the forefront of rebuilding what Stannis and Mel single-handedly destroyed over the past few decades.

She’s brought of her thoughts and back to the present when a warm body envelopes her in a breathless embrace, hanging as best as they can off the arm of the chair she’s occupying.

Arya lifts her head up to see Hattie smiling softly down at her, “What’re you thinking about, love?”

She grins back with warm eyes, “You.”

Hattie laughs lightly and slides down further into the chair, forcing Arya to slide her body backwards and let Hattie hold her comfortably in her lap, “Me? I feel so honored. What about me, darling?”

It’s right then that she sees the family resemblance with the Tyrell legend.

Arya leans her head against Hattie’s shoulder as she strokes her hair softly and in a way of tender solace, much like the way she embraced her after she woke up in the cabin without Gendry, “Just thinking about the future, what you and Podrick and Sam are going to do now that MI6 is undoubtedly fucked without any real structure at the moment.”

Hattie breathes a subtle sigh, causing Arya to think that this isn’t something her friend hasn’t thought about before, “Well, I’m sure we’ll stay with the agency and they’ll find a new director, someone that isn’t a traitor to the country hopefully,” she gives Arya a playful side smirk, this whole ordeal some kind of new inside joke they can laugh about later, “and everything will work out in due time. The hot feisty little red-head seems like she knows what she’s doing and from what I’ve seen, she’s been working closely with King Baratheon to right a few wrongs in Westeros.”

Arya smiles at her words, thinking about how Ygritte has become close to those she loves dearly in such a short time, and how close her and Jon seem to be. That thought alone makes her heart swell with love and adoration.

“Yeah, one thing we’re definitely not in short supply of these days is badass warrior women,” she looks over at Missandei and Grey across the way talking quietly amongst themselves, a true picture of a perfect married couple, “speaking of…”

Her words trail as she jumps off the chair and out of Hattie’s arms, instead seeking the warmth of the Naath beauty she’s missed terribly over the years, much to Grey’s annoyance and amusement.

She jumps as casually as she can in between the happy couple, causing Grey to smile and get the hint that they need some one on one time. Well, plus Hattie who makes her way over and joins them on Arya’s other side.

Arya wraps her arms around both of their necks, squeezing them to her in a tight Arya-sandwich like embrace which causes all three of them to belly in fits of happy laughter together, the noise over taking everything else in the small airplane. 

She can’t help but to let the words spill from her mouth, an euphoria taking over, “I love you both so fucking much, I hope you know that and I can’t thank you enough for being by my side through this and having my back.”

Missandei hugs the two women closer, “You don’t have to thank us, love. It’s what you do for family.”

Their love fest is temporarily stalled by a weary looking Sam standing in front of them, speaking in a shaky voice, which causes Arya’s eyes to widen slightly with fear in return, “The pilot says we’re about to land and to buckle up.”

She relaxes visibly at his innocent announcement, worry immediately leaving her body. She can’t help it, receiving bad news seems to be her life these days. But hopefully those days will soon be over.

He wipes his clammy forehead with the back of his hand as he sits down and buckles up, eyes closing tightly to the slight turbulence they’re experiencing, which doesn’t faze Arya or anyone else one bit.

Hattie leans in closer to Arya, whispering in her ear with adoration in her every word, “He hates flying. You should have seen him on his first mission out of HQ, it was not pleasant.”

Her next words hit her right in her chest, the emotions slamming into her like a freight train, “When we had the makings of our plan ready to execute, he insisted on coming along even though we told him it would be fine if he stayed back, what with no real field training and all, but he wasn’t having it. He wanted to be on the front lines with everyone else, ready to do whatever he could to help out you and Waters.”

She feels the workings of tears prickle behind her eyes again, her heart ready to hammer out of her chest at the new revelation of just how much love these people have for both her and Gendry, despite Arya not being as close with them, only having known them for a few short weeks. But time doesn’t measure love.

And she’s finding out that love is something she’ll never not have in her life again.

***

Arya is joined at the hospital by Hattie and Podrick, Grey and Missandei, along with Sam and Sandor, the rest soon to follow once things settle down a bit. It’s still late out and Ygritte and Jon promised they’d clean up the mess down in King’s Landing with the others and meet them back in White Harbor as soon as they could.

Once inside, she doesn’t hesitate in seeking out Gendry’s room all the while keeping her eyes open for Davos or Dr. Yoren for an update before she reaches his room.

When she reaches the familiar floor, she surprised to not see Davos, but rather Lommy talking softly with Dr. Yoren at the other end of the hall forcing her to freeze where she stands, her face scrunched in confusion and her heart racing a mile a minute.

Lommy and Dr. Yoren follow closely behind a woman in scrubs, Gendry’s nurse she recognizes from the last time she was here, wheeling Gendry’s body in his hospital bed back into his room, his eyes still closed in the same way he was before they had the cure, unconscious from all the drugs they have him on.

This isn’t right, he should be awake by now. Fuck, she’s finding it hard to breathe all of a sudden.

Her feet begin to move on autopilot towards them, her arms and hands pointing accusingly at Gendry’s sleeping form, “Where the fuck is Davos?! I told him to give them the antidote, why isn’t he awake?!”

Her voice is raised, which to others would seem like she’s getting angry and taking out her frustrations on the first person she sees, but to her, it’s unrelenting fear that maybe, just maybe the cure didn’t actually work and they’re about to deliver the worst news she could possibly hear.

Lommy reassures her that Davos did deliver the antidote but soon disappeared after that and didn’t tell anyone where he was going, but she can’t worry about that right now. Her main focus is Gendry and why in the world he’s not awake right now.

Once everyone that’s there is back inside his room and the door is closed, the doctor motions for her to take a seat as Gendry’s nurse reinserts his IV and the other machines keeping his body alive and healthy, she prays to all the Gods above. 

She remains standing, and completely defiant to those around her.

Hattie and Missandei come to stand beside Arya, but still give her space to breathe, the tension in the room so thick you could cut it with a knife.

“Just so you are aware doctor, she’s pissed, scared and armed, so I’d choose your words carefully. Not a threat, just a friendly warning.”

Arya smiles slightly at Hattie’s statement, but that doesn’t keep her from standing a little straighter, ready to take the impact of whatever is about to be said.

“Relax, my dear. I’m not here to give you bad news.”

She’s relaxes ever so slightly.

“The antidote that Mr. Seaworth delivered is in fact just what Mr. Waters needed.”

“Why am I sensing a _but_ , coming?”

Dr. Yoren smiles, his old features looking a bit more youthful, “ _However_ , Gendry’s body has been through a traumatic experience with this particular brand of poison, we’ll need to administer the medication in small doses, as to not overwhelm his organs and cause the opposite of what we’re trying to do. We’ve examined it thoroughly and have given him the first dose and as of right now, his body is slowly beginning to heal. If we were to give it all to him at once, his body could go into irreversible shock. I’m afraid it’s going to be a slow process, but I expect him to make a full recovery once it’s all said and done.”

Because it’s her nature with him and she just can’t help herself, “How slow of a process are we talking here, doc?”

She’s ran out of patience by now.

“I’m estimating the antidote to be fully administered within the next twenty-four hours, and after that we’ll run a few tests to determine when it’s best to stop the barbiturate drugs.”

Arya sighs, her anxiety getting the better of her, “In English please?”

Hattie smiles next to her as the doctor continues, “My apologies. After the poison is gone and the tests are run, I will do an exam to determine when to take him out of the medically induced coma he is currently in. Once those drugs are out of his system, he should wake on his own fairly soon after.”

“What do you mean by _should_?”

“Well the body is a complex creation dear child; it’ll be up to Gendry to wake when he’s ready.”

Hattie pulls Arya closer to her side, “I have no doubt he’ll be ready to see you as soon as he can, he’s too stubborn to stay in this damn hospital longer than he has to, you know that.”

She faintly registers the doctor leaving and his nurse saying something about how she’ll be back in a couple of hours to give him the next dose of meds, but all she can focus on is being as close to him as she can while he’s here, and for the rest of her life if she gets her way.

She takes up residency in the chair that she occupied for the duration she was here last time, the one that’s still pulled up to the right side of his bed and she takes his hand in her own, not planning to let go until she’s forced to.

Even then she’ll resist.

Arya falls asleep with her head propped beside his arm not long after she lays it down, the night’s events leaving her exhausted to the point she could no longer keep her eyes open, no matter how long and hard she tried to fight it.

It was a losing battle and she knew it the second she closed her eyes.

How long she was out she’s not sure, but when she opens her eyes again, she finds that Tormund is there and Grey and Podrick are gone, leaving her with big red, Sandor’s usual grumpiness and Hattie and Missandei’s overly mother-esq nature’s.

Not that she minds any of those things one tiny bit.

What’s even more interesting is the fact that she’s now laying in bed with Gendry, but she can’t remember how she got there and the sun shining brightly high in the sky outside the room let’s her know that it’s well into the morning, if not later. 

Hattie notices she’s now awake and fills her in on some things she missed while she was asleep, “The boys went to get food and Jon and Ygritte dropped off the big guy not too long ago.”

“How long was I out?”

“About ten hours, it’s almost noon. And before you ask, yes, we each got some rest too, went in shifts. The good ole doctor let us use an empty room just down the hall.”

Arya sits up and stretches her arms out in front of her, arching her back to get some of the kinks out.

“And how did I get up here?”

Hattie points back to Sandor and smiles, “He may have had something to do with that, was mumbling incoherently about you hurting yourself and being more comfortable, with a few explicits thrown in of course.”

“Of course.” Arya agrees with an eye roll and a huge smile taking over her face at Sandor’s sweet gesture.

She looks around the room and sees Missandei in deep conversation with Sandor, his expression lighter than normal, while Tormund sits at the lone table, eyes focused heavily on a sheet of paper in front of him.

The sudden tremor in his voice startled her a bit, “How do you spell _epiphany_? One ‘p’ or two?”

Sandor, eyes still trained on Missandei confirms two, while Hattie walks over to stand over his shoulder, “What are you on about over here?”

“I’m writing a letter to his majesty; I don’t want to get thrown in the trenches for something that was an accident!”

Under different circumstances, she would joke incessantly with her friend, but the seriousness in his tone and the fear on his face tells her this is no laughing matter and he is genuinely afraid of the repercussions his actions may have caused down in the capital.

Hattie lays a gentle, yet reassuring hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly in comfort, “That’s really not necessary mate, the King will understand I’m sure and we’ll all vouch for your behavior. You didn’t mean to… do what you did, and we know you feel remorse. That’s going to count when the time comes to sort all this out, so just relax, yeah?”

Tormund runs both hands through his shaggy red hair and releases a heavy sigh as he sits back away from the paper laying in front of him.

This is so fucked up, she knows it. If she just killed Melisandre when she had the chance, he wouldn’t be going through this inner turmoil right now.

But she just, couldn’t. She couldn’t look her enemy in the eye and pull the trigger, because that would have meant she was right all along. That Arya was just like her, and she needed to show her just how wrong she was. With mercy.

She’s just sorry it turned out to be so redundant.

She watches Tormund closely, examining the different emotions flickering over his face when something peculiar nags at the back of her mind, something itching to be voiced aloud, “Do you regret it?”

His blue eyes meet hers then, a certain mischievous twinkle that she always finds when she looks into them, “You want the truth little wolf?”

Arya smiles shyly, “Always.”

He leans back in the chair as the eyes around the room fall to him, eager to hear what he has to say, “It was an accident, we all saw what happened, of course I didn’t know that Snow’s dumbass would be stupid enough to give me a loaded gun, but like right after, once the shock wore off and I didn’t feel like I was about to brown my pants?”

Everyone laughs as he tries to find the words, “I didn’t feel bad; not in the way one normally would. I was, I don’t know? Relieved. That she was dead and couldn’t hurt my little wolf anymore or anyone else. And after what she did to your bull? She deserved to die, yeah. So no, I don’t regret it. But that still doesn’t mean I aimed for it to happen like that. I still would have been just fine seeing her locked up and treated the same way she treated Gen in that hell hole we found him in.”

Hattie nods curiously at him, “Aye. I agree completely. And I don’t think what Tormund did was intentional, everyone could see that. But even if someone were to believe otherwise, her death was just. And no one is going to take pity on that women’s soul. Or lack of I suppose.”

She looks to Tormund directly, meeting Arya’s eyes briefly, “But it’s not us you have to convince.”

Tormund’s blue eyes widen dramatically, “Bloody hell, who then?”

“I’m guessing that King Renly will want an audience with you, about what happened. All of us really, he’s the one that hired Ygritte in the first place and the one that controls the politics of the agency and who runs it.”

“Fuck.” Tormund looks terrified but not because of what he did, more because of him having to be in front of the king himself when he explains it, “You sure, love? King Renly is just so… so, _the King_!”

His explanation is less than understood by the others, and Arya laughs along with everyone in the room, “Wait? Are you star struck right now?”

“Well yeah, he’s the King! All mighty and powerful and quite handsome if I do say so myself, and it’s fucking intimidating alright?”

Even Sandor cracks a smug grin at Tormund’s foolishness, and as everyone remains laughing to the point of pure hysteria, Podrick and Grey join them with trays of food in their hands, causing Arya’s stomach to growl in anticipation of being able to eat something.

Podrick smiles at the happiness radiating throughout the room, “While I’d love to know what the bloody hell is so funny, I have better news. We ran into the doc out in the hall and he said that Gendry’s prognosis is looking so good that they’re able to up his dosage which will hopefully have him out of the coma sooner than he predicted. Should be done with the antidote meds by dinner time.”

While the boys set down the food at the table Tormund is at, letting the others get what they want, Arya can only stare back at Gendry still sleeping peacefully. She strokes his hair back on his forehead before kissing it gently and whispering I love you’s over and over again.

Sandor’s voice breaks the spell as he throws a wrapped sandwich her way, “Eat girl, or I’m going to get angry.”

She takes the sandwich with an eye roll and a snarky comment, “You’re always angry Sandor. Tell me something I don’t know.”

***

His nurse is kind enough to rearrange a few things so that Gendry and Arya can fit comfortably in his bed together, knowing that Arya isn’t going to relent in _not_ staying by his side while he’s there.

For the remainder of the day and into the night, everyone filters in and out, to accomplish various tasks of eating and bathing, all except for Arya, who has everything she needs brought to her by Missandei and Hattie. They too know her better than expecting her to leave anytime soon.

Gendry is given the last dose of his medication just before midnight, with a promise of good test results come morning, he’ll be taken out of the coma. She goes to sleep that night with more happiness than she’s felt in a long, long time.

***

She opens her eyes slowly, her arm thrown over Gendry’s abdomen and her face snuggled into the crook of his neck. A gentle hand urges her to turn over and face the culprit and she’s surprised to find Jon hovering over her, concern etched in his own Stark grey eyes.

She sits up and groans at the pain in her back, but pushes it aside as she notices that everyone is watching her carefully now, and the panic begins to set in.

Arya instinctively whips her head back to Gendry beside her, her hand immediately seeking out the warmth his body provides, “Is he?”

The words trail and can’t form in her mouth and she sighs voluntarily when Ygritte walks over to Jon’s side, “Gendry’s fine, love. The doctors just want to take him for one last test, the one they told you about last night?”

She nods as she remembers what’s supposed to happen this morning, but from the look on Ygritte and Jon’s faces, their silence tells her there’s more news she’s not currently privy to, “Okay, just spit it out.”

Jon avoids her gaze and it’s Podrick’s voice that speaks before anyone else gets the opportunity, “We’re…” he clears his throat before continuing, “all of us… The King has requested an audience. With us all, well most of us. Sandor, Beric, Lommy, and Grey and Missandei were not requested, therefore are staying here with Gendry in our absence.”

They want her to leave. No, that’s not happening.

She shakes her head violently until it begins to hurt, begging them to understand why she can’t do that, “No, I’m not leaving him, can’t this wait?”

Hattie walks up to the end of the bed and gives her a soft smile of empathy, “It’s the King, love. Who are we to question it? The jet is fueled and ready to go, it shouldn’t take too long and we’ll be right back here once we’re done.”

Arya looks back at Gendry and bites her lip while her fingers absentmindedly go back to fiddling with the necklace on her chest, “He won’t be alone right, you’ll stay here no matter what?”

Grey’s face remains emotionless, and strong, just as he’s always been, “Aye. No matter what.”

She hops off the bed and goes to his side, grabbing him by the arms for a hug, but pulls back enough to say, “You’ll call me the second he wakes up, right?”

“Of course, you have my word.”

He gives her a small smile before she’s crushing him to her chest. Gods, she really doesn’t want to leave.

Missandei pulls her away eagerly, “Come on, the others will meet you at the plane, let’s get you some coffee first, okay?”

***

As she watches everyone else head in the opposite direction outside the hospital, she’s pulled alongside Missandei and Hattie to a coffee shop just down the street and she can’t help but to take pride in the comfort they’re trying to bring her. She really doesn’t deserve either of them.

They sit down and wait for their orders to be called, and she takes a moment to watch the people around her, going on with their everyday normal lives. She feels better about the future now, unlike just days ago when she was scared for everyone around her, at the things that Melisandre was capable of doing to cripple this country. Now, unbeknownst to them, their lives are that much safer now that Mel is no longer alive. Perhaps it’s best they never even know, but it still makes her smile nonetheless that she was a part of that. Even if Melisandre hadn’t died that night, she still would have been rendered powerless. Which is exactly what this country desperately needed.

Her reign of terror is finally over.

Her thoughts are broken by Hattie joining them then, hot steaming coffee on a small tray laid out on the table.

“Thank you,” she says into her cup as she takes a long drink, relishing in the warmth and caffeine she didn’t know she needed right now.

Missandei takes a sip and then sets her mug down in front of her, hands still on the rim, “Are you nervous?”

Arya’s eyes snap up to meet hers, the question slightly catching her off guard, “About meeting the King, or having to admit to all the hell I’ve caused over this past year?”

Hattie answers for them both, curiosity getting the better of them, “Both?”

She sighs and leans back in her chair, keeping her eyes focused on everything and nothing, “No to either, I might have broken a few thousand laws, but they were all just, and in self-defense. Melisandre is the real villain in this scenario, not me, and I’ll be damned if it’s made out that way. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I have nothing to hide.”

She shrugs her shoulders as nonchalantly as she can, feigning indifference, but knowing that deep down, she’s actually terrified, and they both know it, but decide to say nothing more. To which that, she’s thankful.

She just needs to get through this as painless and as quickly as she can so she can get back to Gendry.

***

The palace itself is so much more than she imagined it would be. It’s easy, to grow up in a town and assume what something would look like in person, only to be standing here in the flesh so many years later and experience the real thing for yourself.

It’s not like she didn’t know what went on here, being the Hand of the King’s daughter and all, but for that short time, opportunity never brought her inside these walls until now.

She thought it would be a magical place as a child, more like a great castle in a fairy-tale world, so being here now, as an adult, she suddenly gets the overwhelming feeling of underwhelming appreciation.

She’s mesmerized by it really, the high ceilings and sparkling chandeliers, and she’s starting to understand a little bit of what Tormund was going through earlier at the prospect of having to be here under such circumstances.

Jon stays right by her side as they walk through the castle, being led by one of the King’s staff members, Hattie and Podrick right behind them, along with Ygritte and Sam, Tormund trailing the group last, awe and shock written all over his face, just as she expected.

They stop just before a large set of doors and are told to wait a few moments.

 _Great_ , she thinks to herself, _just waiting for my death apparently, no big deal_.

She doesn’t get the chance to overthink everything too much before the doors are opening in front of them, and inside waits King Renly, his hand, and few other staff members and to her own disbelief, Davos Seaworth and Yara Greyjoy, smiling brightly at the new guests of honor, for what it seems like to her the way all these strangers are staring.

King Renly, just as handsome as Tormund said he was, greets them each politely with a handshake, disregarding any formal greeting they try to present themselves with, saving Arya for last.

“Your Grace.” She nods her head as he reaches his hand out for her to shake, which she does with slightly nervous fingers.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Ms. Stark, I’ve heard many things.”

She gulps audibly and can’t help but letting her honest fear show as her eyes widen, causing King Renly to release a bellyful laugh in response.

“Relax, love. All good things I assure you. I promise you’re not on trial here.”

“I’m not?” She just can’t help but to question good things, can she?

He motions for each of them to have a seat in the chairs provided, save for Davos and Yara who remain standing adjacent to The King’s desk in the middle of the room.

She watches as Renly sits and folds his hands on the desk in front of him, “No, quite the opposite actually. I called you here to thank you, for your service to this country and for stopping an evil entity that needed to be stopped.”

She’s stunned into silence, letting him continue, “Honestly, if it had been up to me in the first place, my brother would have never been given the power that he had, at least for as long as he had it, but I guess I have to thank my _other_ brother for that. But that’s all in the past now, isn’t it? Both Mr. Seaworth and Ms. Greyjoy have told me what you’ve been dealing with over this past year and for that, you have my deepest apologizes. They have informed me of what Melisandre has done and the proof you acquired to out her criminal activity.”

He stands then and walks around to fully face them all, speaking and looking directly to Arya when he says, “You, Ms. Stark and your team are hereby pardoned for any and all criminal activity that led to the death of Co-Director Melisandre and the capture of Director Stannis Baratheon of MI6. Those of you that are currently with the agency are given the option to remain or to be relieved of your duties, whichever you prefer.”

He looks back at a teary-eyed Arya, “Congratulations, Ms. Stark. You are now a free woman.”

She takes his hand in hers, more eagerly and gracefully this time, “Thank you.”

She turns to face everyone and laughs at a still weary looking Tormund with his hand raised in the air, “Even me, your grace?”

King Renly laughs whole-heartedly, “Yes, even you Tormund. I have full accounts on everyone who was present at the time of Mel’s death. I don’t believe you did anything wrong and therefore will not be held accountable for what happened.”

Tormund crosses the distance between them quickly, dropping to one knee with his head held down to the floor, “Thank you, your grace. Thank you.”

“That’s not necessary mate, please, I know you have more pressing matters to attend to, so you’re all free to go, but please, feel free to come by anytime. My doors are always open to friends.”

One by one, they all make their way outside and while Hattie and Podrick check with the pilot for a departure time and eta, she makes a quick call to Grey at the hospital.

He picks up on the first ring, almost as if he was waiting for her call, “We’re about to leave the capital, how is he?”

Grey hesitates before speaking, “He uh, he’s fine, technically.”

“Excuse me?” She can’t hide her growing fury, laced with a shit ton of fear.

“Well his test results were good, so they pulled him out of the coma about an hour ago, but he hasn’t woken up yet. Dr. Yoren can’t explain it, he says there is no medical reason why he hasn’t woken up by now.”

Something in her clicks and her heart begins to soar to new heights as his words sink in and realization dawns on her instantly, “He’s waiting for me.”

It’s barely a whisper, but still heard nonetheless, “I’m sorry, what?”

She smiles brightly into the phone, despite him not being able to see it, “He’s not awake yet because I’m not there. He’s waiting for me.”

Grey chuckles on the other end of the line, “You might be right, love. So, everything’s fine I assume?”

“Everything is great, we’ll explain everything when we get there, tell him I’m on my way and I’ll see him soon.”

“Will do, love.”

She hangs up and practically runs for the doors.

***

She’s the first one out the door of the car that drove them across town from the airstrip and they dare not stand in her way as she marches into the hospital, forgoing the slow as fuck elevators, heading straight for the stairwell.

She takes the steps two by two and pushes the door open at the top with all her strength and as she rounds the corner and sees Dr. Yoren, along with Lommy and Beric standing outside watching his room through the window, her mission becomes clear as day.

She’s waking him up, and if she has to make a scene to do it, then so be it. It’s so like him to not make this easy for her.

She winks at the men watching her before raising her voice to a level no one can shy away from as her feet take her that much closer to the love of her life, “Boy, if you don’t wake your _stupid bull-headed stubborn bastard ass_ up right this fucking second, I swear to all seven…” She lets her words trail off as she enters his room, door already propped wide open, and as she takes his hand in hers, it’s as if a light flickers on in his mind and suddenly he’s stirring himself awake with scrunched eyebrows and small coughs, a smile forming on the edges of his lips as he looks over and his blue eyes meet grey.

She strokes his soft dark hair out of his face, mindful of the bruises and injuries that still linger, “Okay, maybe you’re not that stupid after all.”

He raises a hand slowly to rest over the one on his cheek, leaning into her touch, “Hi.”

Her breathing is uneven, but only from all the emotions taking over her body at the same time, it’s everything she could have ever asked for. Happiness, love, devotion… It’s controlling all of her senses as she continues to stare into those impossibly blue eyes of his. 

She smiles as the tears flow freely, faintly registering everyone giving them some privacy as they each step out into the hall, leaving them alone, “Hey, you.”

She bends her body down to lean her forehead against his, breathing in his familiar scent, before letting her lips softly collide with his own.

He pulls back and scoots over in his bed to give her room to lie down next to him, letting her bury herself in his arms.

“I feel like I got hit by a truck, did I get hit by a truck?”

“Not exactly, although you do look like it.”

He play fully pokes her in her side, with as much strength as he can muster for himself, “I love you too, Stark.”

She wiggles her body closer to his, as if it’s physically possible, letting her words stay muffled by the hospital gown he’s wearing, “I love you so much, don’t ever leave me, _please_.”

Arya was never one to let herself be that vulnerable, but with Gendry, it was inevitable, and she knew it from the start.

He holds her close and kisses the top of her head, “Never.”

It’s then that she tells him everything, from the moment he went unconscious in the van after being rescued, to them finding out Mel poisoned him with a kiss, and how Arya went off on her own on a suicide mission, only to change her mind halfway through, that particular bit of information he wasn’t too happy with.

She explained what happened in King’s Landing and how Melisandre was accidentally shot by Tormund, he did find that particular information hysterically amusing and they both laughed unashamedly for it.

She then went on to tell him about the events that led her to speaking to King Renly just hours before and the things he had to say, for which he couldn’t be happier.

Once he’s caught up on everything he’d missed, they don’t have much necessity for talking at that point, the only thing either of them are concerned with is just holding on to the other and never letting go.

***

Gendry is released from the hospital four days later, with mandatory physical therapy appointments three times a week for the next month for the injures sustained to his hands.

The doctors assured them both that the poison is gone and there is no lingering affects that will harm him in the future, and while most of their team had to get back to their lives with promises of meeting up again soon, she’s grateful to find a few were able to stick around to see him off.

Arm in arm, they step outside to the chilled northern air, the snow crunching on the ground beneath their boots, eyes prickling and rosy cheeks from the cold.

Hattie and Podrick along with Missandei and Grey wait for them outside by a large SUV, ready to take them wherever they need to be.

Before he can take a step towards them, he’s halted by Arya’s arms, pinning him in place as she stands on her tiptoes to place a hard, warm kiss to his cold lips.

He pulls back and eyes her appreciatively, “What was that for?”

She shrugs her shoulders and wipes his bottom lip with her thumb, “Because I can.”

He kisses her again and grabs her hand, leading her towards the waiting car.

Hattie crosses her arms over her chest and talks to no one in particular, “So, what do you do now that you’ve saved the world and no longer have a kill order on your head?”

Arya smiles as they all climb inside the heated vehicle, her and Gendry taking the very back to stay close to one another, “Anything we fucking want.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left. And just as it started, it will be Gendry's POV. ♥
> 
> And then maybe some more shit after that, because I'll never truly be done with this universe.


	30. Here's To Us, Here's To Love, All The Times That We Fucked Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watch the official trailer here-->https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zE-AuWQLT0&t=2s

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally here, at the end, and on the 9th-month anniversary of when I first published this fic.  
> It's been my baby for these past nine months so with a heavy heart, I present to you the final chapter.
> 
> "Here's To Us" (Guest Version) by Halestorm

_Here's to us, here's to love_

_All the times, that we messed up_

_Here's to you, fill the glass_

_'Cause the last few nights have kicked my ass_

_If they give ya hell_

_Tell ‘em to go fuck themselves, here's to us, here's to us_

Six Weeks Later- Storm’s End

He doesn’t know much, but one thing he does know for sure in this moment, is that he is utterly _blessed_.

If you had told him a few months ago that instead of trying to hide from a self-absorbed mistake of a one night stand, he’d be heading back to his apartment to see Arya, his Arry from so many lifetimes ago, he’d tell you to fuck right off and probably add a swift punch in the face to go with it for giving him false hope of reuniting with the love of his life. Not for a second would he actually think they were telling him the truth.

There’s no rhyme or reason as to why his life ended up the way it did, here and now, and he’s beginning to think that maybe, despite all the choices he’s made and the different paths he’s taken over the years, that maybe he didn’t choose this life, that this life chose him.

That no matter what he did, he was always meant to end up here, having helped take down one of the worst terrorists this country has ever seen, to being rewarded for everything he went through to make sure that happened, and with Arry by his side, happy and healthy.

Perhaps, unbeknownst to him, they were always supposed to find their way back to each other.

If only he’d known that all those years ago, maybe he could have saved himself a little bit of the heartbreak he endured after she left, and his liver the copious amounts of bourbon he downed to ease that pain.

He can’t focus on the _what ifs_ and _maybes_ of life.

He doesn’t need to dwell on the past for those days of torment both physical and mental are long gone and from here on out, all he has to worry about is making sure Arya Stark is thriving in this silly little life they’ve begun to build for themselves.

The last time he’d spent here, longer than a few weeks before he was off again on some job or mission, feels like a completely different time for Gendry. He doesn’t even know that person anymore, who he was before Arya walked, or rather _danced_ back into his life, when she brought breath back into his soul.

He adjusts the plastic bags of groceries in his hands, already feeling the material slip from his sweaty palms as he makes his way down the busy street, maneuvering in and out of the innocent civilians crowded around, regular people just like him now he supposes, eyeing the building that holds his life just within sight and a few short steps.

He makes his way up the stairs, but stops short when he sees a package, or rather a large plant resembling a miniature palm tree to be more precise as the gift isn’t wrapped in any sort of fashion, sitting just outside their apartment door, a small white note attached to one of the green leaves.

He hesitates in stepping any closer to it, his years of training and former spy lifestyle still getting the better of his instincts of being overly cautious with everything in his life, especially now that Arya is a permanent part of said life.

Without touching the plant, he eyes the writing on the note, Grey’s familiar scrawl written in black ink with a generic greeting about a homecoming gift and a sign off of both Grey and Missandei’s signatures. But just to be on the safe side, he pulls out his phone and gives his oldest friend a call, confirming that it was him that sent the gift and once he’s had the all clear and a short lecture about being paranoid, he unlocks the apartment door before bringing in both the plant and the bags of food he went out and bought while Arya still slept peacefully.

As soon as the door opens, Arya’s soft voices filters through the room and his ears, causing his heart to beat a little bit faster, something he thinks will never _not_ happen when she speaks, along with another Stark voice he’s come to know as her older sister Sansa Stark. 

While Arya agreed that it was finally safe for her to reunite with her brother and sister, she knew she wasn’t quite ready to go back to Winterfell and see them in person just yet, so when Jon floated the idea around of arranging a skype session with both Sansa and Bran, Arya was over the moon with excitement, something that also came with a few overwhelming tears of happiness once she saw them both on the screen for the first time in over a decade.

He was there for the first time, just shortly after they came home from the hospital, silently watching in the background as Arya talked to her siblings, giving her encouraging smiles when sensitive topics came up or when Sansa asked when she’d be ready to come back to Winterfell again.

She told them what she could, of her running away and the circumstances that surrounded what happened after it. They didn’t pry for they knew with Jon’s own military background that some things were better kept unsaid and for that she was incredibly thankful.

He walks about the place with quite footsteps, trying not to make a habit of interrupting such precious moments between the sisters. Arya notices him as he’s putting the food away and gives him a happy smile before turning back to Sansa, “I know, Sans. I miss you too and we’ll talk again soon.”

Before they end the video call, she gets the red head to halt her hang up, “Oi, and tell Theon that if he ever calls me _Teeny Tiny Lady Ninja_ again, I’m gutting him with Needle!”

He hears Sansa snicker before the call is finished and he finally gives Arya the once over he’s been waiting to ever since he walked in.

He may have felt a little dirty in giving her sex eyes while her sister’s face was still in view.

He leans back against the kitchen island and crosses his arms over his chest, letting his blue eyes rake her _half naked_ body over.

Her hair is down and wet so he assumes that she took a shower before starting the call with Sansa and she’s wearing one of his old t-shirts, a plan navy blue one that has seen better days and no pants, bare legs stretching for miles.

His tongue involuntarily darts out to wet his lips in anticipation of having those smooth legs wrapped around his waist, something he suddenly realizes he desperately needs at the moment.

She turns back to look at him as she closes her laptop shut with a soft thump, eyeing him with a smirk and a devilish glint in her steel grey eyes.

“What?” She says casually as she narrows her eyes at his blatant staring.

He keeps his eyes locked on her body, roaming over every curve as he speaks, “How’s your sister? Everything okay back in Winterfell?”

His breath hitches as she slowly stands and makes her way over to him, but despite the close proximity, his arms remained closed over his chest, daring her to make the first move.

A game of cat and mouse, push and pull they know oh so well.

“I don’t think my sister should be the subject of conversation right now.” She lays both hands on his muscled forearms, squeezing just enough to apply pressure before sliding them up and down the toned skin stretching through his shirt.

Gendry unfolds his arms and puts his hands on either side of her waist, urging her closer, “Really? What should we talk about then, maybe the fact that you showered without me?” He runs his lips over the shell of her ear before biting lightly, causing her to moan and shiver in his arms.

“Well then maybe you should do something to me that would warrant another.”

He smiles wickedly, not needing to be told twice as his fingers find the fabric of _his_ shirt, lifting it over her head and tossing it somewhere on the other side of the room and just as expected, she’s wearing nothing underneath.

His hands trail along her skin, down her sides and over the butterfly tattoo he was there for when it appeared on her skin, her holding his hand as the needle did its work. That memory, among all the others from those days so many years ago always brings a smile to his face.

Her back arches, the cold air against her flesh heightening his touch and when she reaches for his own shirt, he wastes no time in riding himself of the constricting fabric as well.

Arya runs her fingertips over his chest, down his clawed covered hammer tattoo across his heart, her nails tracing the pattern perfectly before her lips kiss each mark, making their way from his abdomen up and then down to their intended target, his scarred wrists, the flesh still worn and pink.

Her lips moisten the roughness and a chill travels down his spine at the touch. The touch of her mouth on his wounded skin heals him in ways that time never could, and when they leave his hands to find his lips he stops breathing. 

She tastes perfect. She tastes like home.

And he could never get enough of her.

As their lips tangle in blissful synchronization, his hand finds itself in between her bare thighs, her wetness dripping for him with such a warmth, he’s suddenly aware that he’s very much overdressed for what they’re both after.

After giving her a few experimental strokes, his palms cup her ass as he his lifts her up to wrap her legs around his waist, her hands immediately finding his belt buckle as he walks them into their bedroom down the hall.

Using his bare foot, he kicks the door closed behind him for no real reason other than an old habit as he gently tosses her on the bed, a small laugh escaping her kiss swollen lips reverberating throughout the small space, a place they can call their own.

For the time being they are staying in Storm’s End, in the apartment Gendry acquired just after he got out of the agency. But in the near future they plan to make their way back to Blackhaven, the safe house like a beacon calling out to them to return on a more permanent basis.

She helps him rid himself of his last remaining clothes, jeans and a pair of black boxer briefs and when her hand grips his throbbing cock, he swears he’s already seeing stars flutter behind his eyelids.

This is a dance they’ve come to know well, how to make the other moan and curse in all the right ways.

Every caress, every touch that’s so passionately driven that the slightest ghosting of fingers well after the deed is done still lingers on his skin like a fire that’s never able to be quenched fully, a flame that still flickers well into the night and the days ahead of them both.

Their lips meet once again in perfect tempo when he enters her swiftly and fully, hands never satisfied to remain in one place, always moving, always looking for more.

They find a rhythm quickly, thrusts becoming more and more frantic, and with one hand in her soft dark hair, his other grips the headboard as his pace increases.

And when Arya’s hands are placed on either side of his hips, sliding down to grip his ass to urge him along, he feels as though his resolve is about to break.

He knows she close as well by the erratic beating of her heart he can feel under his arm, and he’s determined to hold out for her as long as he can.

That familiar tightening comes soon enough and as her thighs clench around him, she leans up to kiss his forehead before leaving her own against his, whispering a soft and breathy, _let go Gendry_ , and it’s then they both come together in a sharp wave of pleasure, a cry of ecstasy on the tips of their tongues like a sweet drop of desire that only forms in the presence of the other. Something that could never be matched.

As their breathing evens out and they fall back down to reality, he slides out and off her gently, curling into her side like a child, wiping a few strands of hair off her sweaty cheek and flushed neck.

“I think that was a job well done, my lady. Another shower is definitely warranted.”

She turns to give him a cheeky smile and a nonchalant shrug, “It’ll suffice.”

As she climbs off the bed, he smacks her on the ass earning himself a loud yelp and a threat or two as she chases him into the bathroom, everything else but another run of the water bill all but forgotten.

***

After another round in the shower, now fully dressed and sated, they make their way into the kitchen in search of some of the food Gendry brought home earlier that morning.

“Hey, did you ask Podrick about coming over for dinner next week? Last I heard Hattie was on some mission so I thought Pod would be the best person to ask for them both as to not bother her while in the field.”

With her phone in her hand, she sits down at the island counter with an apple in the other.

He grabs a water bottle and sits down on the opposite side from where she’s sitting, “Yeah, I called him, but he didn’t answer.”

[(If the picture ever disappears because that's just my luck, find it here.)](https://app.box.com/s/qfruqliip6jd3uj3ef2lpk93zi9uw4pa)

Arya laughs hysterically at the exchange, something she created to give the people closest to her a way to keep in touch, as Gendry leans forward while setting his phone back down, “Guess this means Hattie’s home then. Mission complete.”

“No way, am I taking Davos out of this group chat though, it’s just too funny to watch him squirm.”

“I heard that young lady!” The rough voice sounds from the other side of the front door and both Gendry and Arya’s heads snap up to look at said door, then at each other at the exact same time, realization dawning on both of them that Davos is closer than he appears on their phone screens.

He doesn’t knock, but rather opens the door like it’s his own before giving Gendry a knowing look of disappointment.

 _Shit, I forgot to lock the door, again_ , he thinks to himself as Davos steps inside, closing and locking the door behind him.

It’s not his fault, not really. Ever since hearing of Mel’s death, something in him subsided exponentially, a calming of sorts. He no longer worries about something as trivial as a locked door. Him and Arya are the perfect weapons for any intruder anyway.

His only worry at the time was the mysterious plant gift left outside that he has yet to tell Arya about.

“Now, about this little chat you kids have suckered me into…” He trails off waiting for Arya’s reply as both men watch with amused expressions.

“ _Dadvos_ , so nice to see you! It’s been ages, how’s the family?” Arya pats him on the back as she not so subtly tries to change the subject away from her scrutiny.

“Real smooth, love, _real smooth_.” Gendry gives her a quick kiss on the cheek while he gestures for each of them to go have a seat in the living room, curiosity as to why Davos is here in person for the first time since his hospital release rather than the every other day phone call getting the better of him. He’s never been one for patience, something him and Arya have always had in common.

As they all sit, Davos in the single arm-chair, and Arya and Gendry on the couch facing him, Gendry’s mind reflects on the last time Davos was here in his apartment, not too very long ago.

A small laugh escapes Gendry’s mouth as his head drops in amusement, shaking slightly causing Arya to look at him with a fierce curiosity, “What?”

“Nothing really, it’s just that last time Davos and I were here together was the day he sent me to find you.”

Arya’s head twists back to Davos who’s now wearing a small yet knowing smile.

“Of course, when he told me that it was imperative that I find the elusive Arya Stark, I had no idea that it was _Arry_ I was actually looking for.” 

He bumps his shoulder into hers before kissing her softly on the side of her head, his fingers twisting in her hair.

Arya’s phone dings before anyone can say anything else, her eyes scrunching in confusion then looking back at him for answers as she asks, “Missandei is asking if I liked her gift, what gift?”

“Right, when I got back this morning it was waiting outside the door, it’s plant from Naath, I’m sure she can tell us all about it later, it’s in the kitchen.”

Arya types out a quick reply to her friend before sliding her phone down onto the coffee table, eyes focused back on their always welcomed guest.

“You know it’s always good to see you mate, but why the surprise visit?” Gendry says, keeping his demeanor focused on one of his oldest friends and mentors.

Davos says nothing in return, his lips glued together in a thin line as he pulls a small envelope out of his coat pocket and hands it to them, Gendry’s hand seeking it out first. Arya not bothered to even move a muscle.

As he opens it and reads the words over, he only voices out loud the important parts of the note, “It’s an invitation to a dinner at the Castle In King’s Landing hosted by King Renly in Arya Stark’s honor.”

He looks at Arya beside him, her eyes widening subtly as she takes the paper from his hand and studies it carefully.

Davos clears his throat, his words soft and gentle, “It’s his way of thanking you for brining Stannis Baratheon to justice and ending Melisandre’s crimes against this country. Your entire time is invited, along with anyone that helped in the process. I believe there’s a ship out there somewhere with some scoundrels that aided you in your mission?”

They both laugh opposite from Davos, “Yes, they’ll be pleased to have a free dinner and a night on the shore I’m sure.”

Gendry’s eyes dart from the letter back to Davos, “Is this it then, why the need to tell us in person?”

Davos sighs heavily before continuing, “Well lad, the invitation also extends to the immediate families of those involved as well.”

Realization hits Gendry before it does the woman sitting next to him and so his hands gravitates towards hers quickly as she picks up on what Davos is saying, “So you mean…”

“Aye. Your siblings and their significant others have been asked to join as well.”

Gendry squeezes her hand reassuringly, “I just talked to Sansa this morning, she never said anything about it.”

Davos smiles slightly, “I suppose that’s because she didn’t know at the time, dear. I wanted to be the first to tell you and I assume that word will get out any time now to all those welcomed.”

“When’s the party?” She asks with a slight tremor in her voice.

“A week from Saturday, love.” Gendry says as he flips the card over to reveal the contact details sent by the King himself.

Arya nods her head although her face remains emotionless, “I’ll talk to her about it, see if they’re able to come. I…”

He waits for her to get her thoughts together and settle her nerves, “I want them too, it would be nice to see them in person rather than through a computer screen.”

“There are no reservations to be made for all who are able to attend. We’ll see who can make it when the time comes. And with that it’s time that I must be going. I’ll see you both next week, then?”

Davos stands, the other two following closely behind nodding in agreement as they follow him to the door to bid their farewells.

When Davos disappears and the door closes softly, Gendry turns to Arya, gauging her reaction to the news that a reunion between the Stark siblings might happen sooner than she believed it would, “Are you alright? How do you feel about this dinner?”

Arya wraps her arms around his neck, fingers tracing patters on the hair on his neck, “I think it’ll be fun. It’ll be nice to see everyone together again and Sansa and Bran too. Although, I’d be alright if Theon sat this one out but we both know that’ll never happen.”

Since their first skype session, Arya’s told him tales of her and her siblings and their extended family from their childhood and filled him on some things that have been happening more recently, like the fact that Sansa and Theon are to be married in less than two months, with both of them expected at said wedding, although Sansa hasn’t pressed the subject too much for fear of pushing Arya away from anything related to the Stark family.

“Well we both know that if he gets out of line, you can set him straight very easily, and if things get too overwhelming, just say the word and I’ll be your knight in shining armor and get you the fuck out of there as quick as I can.”

She kisses his lips, lingering on the aftertaste, “Aye, I’ve no doubt. Now tell me more about this mysterious plant.”

***

If Arya Stark has any reservations or doubts of going to this dinner and being the center of attention for the night, she shows no indication of it as they make the trip from Storm’s End to King’s Landing on a rainy Saturday evening.

He wouldn’t deny that she looks exceptionally beautiful tonight in her navy-blue dress, hugging her every curve. The sheer presence of beauty.

The drive is quiet between the two but not uncomfortable. Peaceful, content. They don’t know what the night will bring for either of them, but unlike days and weeks previous, that thought doesn’t bring fear but rather hope for the journey ahead.

Gendry parks the car in front of the castle as instructed by the guard at the gate by the main road and hands the keys off to a staff member as they make their way up the staircase and inside the large old doors already open and waiting.

An older lady greets them politely taking their coats and gesturing for them to wait in the library to be called for dinner, and from what he can tell they seem to be the first guests to arrive.

Scratch that, Ygritte is the first to arrive and the only other one there apart from the residents and staff.

After hugs and brief _how are you’s?,_ she grabs him by the arm and tells him that the King requests both of their presences in his office, leaving Arya alone until they return.

As he informs Arya that he won’t be gone long and kisses her cheek, he watches her walk solemnly down the hall, snapping a picture of herself and texting away her anxiety with the clicking of a keyboard. 

[(If the picture ever disappears because that's just my luck, find it here.)](https://app.box.com/s/nmzv2ff3tsz6aitypvmibjrip8til3tt)

Ygritte slips her arm easily into his as they walk down the hall, with her leading the way he realizes she’s spent enough time here to know exactly where she’s going.

After he was released from the hospital and on the way to recovery, Arya filled him in on her first and only other visit here, when the King pardoned them for their crimes committed while trying to bring down Melisandre and Stannis.

He admitted to her then that he was disappointed he missed the whole thing.

Mostly because of where he was while she was here. In the hospital, in a coma from being poisoned. He should have been here then, and he should have been there when Mel was (accidentally) killed. She shouldn’t have been without him by her side and he swore that she never would be again.

Once they reach their destination, a heavily guarded room he notices, he takes a deep breath before they enter, not knowing exactly what he’s walking into. A trap maybe? His own trail waiting for him behind the doors. Surely the Gods wouldn’t be so cruel.

The room itself is relatively simple, something a home office would look like, but for someone normal, not the fucking King of Westeros.

That somehow calms him a little, how mundane this all seems to be.

The King is younger than he expected him to be. He’s known of the Baratheon’s for years, everyone has, and how Renly came to be in his position of power, he just figured that holding the weight of an entire country on your shoulders would age you a bit, but his facial features and all around demeanor still appear to be boyish, friendly and unassuming.

Before he has a chance to introduce himself, Davos appears in the doorway, clad in his best suit no doubt, “Sorry I’m late, your Grace.”

“No worries, Davos, I was just about to say hello to Mr. Waters here and thank him for all that’s he done for us.”

He sighs subtly, releasing a breath he didn’t realized he’d been holding.

King Renly shakes his head firmly, his hand waving out for him to have a seat while he simply leans against his desk and crosses his arms over his chest, “I’m aware that during the last invitation I extended to your team, you were otherwise… occupied.”

Gendry huffs, a short noise to emphasize the weight of those words, “Yes, your Grace, Melisandre was kind enough to keep me distracted, but that still didn’t stop her timely demise so I suppose everything worked out for the best.”

Gendry leans back and relaxes into his chair, a certain audacity washing over him, repercussions over his next words be damned, “If we’re being blunt here, I’m only sorry I wasn’t the one to kill her myself. She did more than enough to hurt me and the people I love. I would have put bullet between her eyes and not thought twice about it and I sure as hell wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. This world is better off without her existing in it.”

Renly smiles and lowers his head before meeting Gendry’s eyes, blue on blue, “While I agree with that sentiment, I’m going to steer this conversation away from talks of bullets and murder, and move on to say that Stannis Baratheon’s trial is to be held in two weeks time, with my counsel seeking the death penalty. And I am pleased to confirm that the new director taking his place is Mr. Davos Seaworth, who I know will be a great asset moving forward.”

Gendry’s eyes shift over to Davos as he stands and extends his hands, the gesture reciprocated immediately, “Congratulations, mate.”

Davos opens his mouth to speak but is instantly cut off by Gendry, already knowing the words about to be spoken, “No, I’m not coming back to the agency. Not a fucking chance in hell, no offense.”

Davos merely laughs in response, “None taken, I understand son. Just thought I would make it known that under my rule, you’re always welcomed.”

“It’s appreciated Davos, really, but that part of my life is over now and has been for a while. I don’t think it’s wise to look back.”

They’re walking back to the others now, Davos, Gendry, Ygritte, the King and his security team all-ready for the festivities of the night to begin.

He spots her first once they reach the other side of the castle, laughing brightly with Tormund, Missandei, Yara Greyjoy, and surprisingly Arianne Martell, whom he learned today has been on Ygritte’s team this whole time, a sight he’ll never tire of witnessing.

Other new guests include, the rest of their team, Tormund’s boat crew accompanied by Olenna Tyrell speaking animatedly to the boys about her many tales of adventure he presumes, all eyes on the spy legend.

Jon Snow joins him by Ygritte’s side as his gaze locks with Arya’s across the room, a smile appearing on both of their faces.

He wants to go to her, to hold her hand and never let go, but before his brain can tell his feet to do something other than just stand there, movement coming from the front entrance of the castle catches his attention from the corner of his eye, seemingly before anyone else’s and just as a tall red head appears, Arya’s eyes follow his to the new guests that just arrived.

A wheelchair appears holding a tall young man, behind him stands Sansa Stark and beside her he can only guess is Theon Greyjoy, Yara’s younger brother and Sansa’s fiancé.

His blue eyes dart back to Arya immediately, with her’s never leaving her siblings as her body seems to gravitate on their own accord towards them, all eyes on the long-awaited Stark reunion.

With tears brimming in her grey eyes, he watches as she hugs each of them, holding onto Sansa last as if her whole life depends on it, love and years of devotion to her roots washing over her in heavy waves as she fights the new incoming emotions and years of painful memories all at once.

Yara joins them a few minutes later, hugging her brother and then the eldest Stark daughter as Renly announces that dinner is being served in the main dining hall and that they should begin making their way to be seated.

He gives Arya a short nod in affirmation that she should stay with her family, a silent plea that he’ll be here nearby no matter what.

***

The dinner itself goes by surprisingly smoothly, despite the varying degrees of personalities of everyone here, with everyone divided between two tables of twelve, Arya on one side with her siblings and Theon, while he stays on the other with Davos, Olenna, and Hattie, giving her encouraging smiles and winks every time their gaze meets, which is quite often if he’s keeping count.

After the food is gone, Renly suggests everyone move on to another portion of the castle where after dinner drinks are going to be served.

He’s not sure what to expect, like most of this night, but when they all enter a large ballroom set up to look more like a casual laid-back club with an open bar, well he sure as hell isn’t complaining about the chill atmosphere and free alcohol.

An hour into the after dinner party, everyone seems to be enjoying their evening quite well, with Tormund and Sandor going head to head with the other boat crew members and Beric engaged in some sort of pissing contest, and he has yet to talk to Arya since they arrived or meet her brother and sister, but again, with how happy she looks, he’s certainly doesn’t have any complaints about that either.

He’s enjoying his second beer at a high top table by himself when Grey and Missandei join him, their own freshly made drinks in hand, “I’m surprised you didn’t take over the bar top and make that drink yourself.”

Missandei laughs genuinely as she sits down across from him, Grey standing closely by her side, “Thought about it but I figured since he’s getting paid for it and I’m not, I better not over-step.”

“Good idea,” he says as he takes another sip, eyes roaming over the room, a smile threatening to break out at the scene in front of him. His friends, his family all in one place, happy and healthy and _safe_. He really couldn’t ask for more.

His focus lands on an uncomfortable looking Sam talking to Edd and Arianne, who seem to be a little bit into the other to realize the third wheel hanging about, “Hey Grey, you want to help him out, mate?”

He nods in their general direction as Grey laughs lightly, “I’m on it.”

Kissing Missandei quickly on the cheek, he retreats quietly, leaving them alone for the first time, in well a long time if he really thinks about it, “So how are you really?”

He sighs, knowing that deflecting her question isn’t going to go over so well so he might as well go ahead and save himself the trouble of lying through his teeth like his gut always tells him to when this subject is broached, “I’m alright honestly. Arya’s been so, patient and I love her for it. The nightmares still linger but it’s getting better. Have you had a chance to meet the Starks yet?”

His honesty can only go so far so he gives her what he can before attempting to subtly change the topic of conversation away from himself and his slow healing process of what they all went through together, “Yes, actually. They’re quite lovely, even that Theon character. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Arya this happy. Well except for when she’s with you of course. I assume you haven’t spoken with them yet; I can tell you’ve been wanting to give Arya and them the space they need.”

Here he goes again with the truth, “I’m a little nervous to say the least. How do you let the family of the person you love know that you’d doing anything for them, to keep them safe? I mean I’d go through hell and back for her and _Hi, I’m Gendry Waters and a handshake_ , just doesn’t seem to be enough, you know?”

She lays a hand on his that’s resting on the table, squeezing gently, “You’ve already gone through hell and back for her, mate. It’s not going to matter what you say, actions speak louder than words. Anyone that’s around the two of you longer than a minute will see just how much she means to you and what you’d risk for her. I saw it five years ago and I can see it now, so relax. She’s not going anywhere.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate that.”

“Looks like it’s just the four of them now, now is as good of a time as any.” He looks over to where her brown eyes rest, on Arya with Sansa, Bran and Theon standing beside the bar, talking and laughing amongst themselves in their own little world, much like everyone else that’s here.

Gendry takes a deep breath before standing up from the table and giving Missandei a quick peck on the side of her head, a whispered thanks leaving his lips as he heads in the direction of the bar across the room.

Arya spots him heading her way before the others and as he approaches, she smiles widely at him before turning to address Bran and Sansa, “Guys, this is…”

He cuts her off, holding out his hand for Bran to shake, and then Sansa Stark, “My name is Gendry, your future brother-in-law.”

He says matter-of-factly, not a hint of nervousness anywhere in his words as Sansa eyes him curiously, Theon gaping dramatically and Bran looking unaffected by the statement. 

His heart rate quickens though as he turns to meet Arya’s shocked expression, “Wait, what?!”

It’s more of an uncontrollable yelp that’s completely _Arya_.

Her large grey eyes glisten with happiness and it radiates through his hair all the way to the tips of his toes, “Well, that is if you’ll have me, Stark.”

Gendry slowly starts to bend down, taking one knee to the floor as he grabs Arya by the hand, Bran’s voice halting him in place, “You don’t have a ring?” He poises it as a question, but underneath the surface he knows it’s more of a stated fact. Arya always said that Bran had an intuition like no other. He can see that now.

He swallows thickly, nerves beginning to take root as his eyes meet Bran’s and then his eldest sister’s who looks at him with an intense cerulean stare, before reaching for the chain that rests around her pale neck, “Here, this was our mother’s.”

She removes the diamond ring from the silver chain and hands it to him, a softness replacing the fire in her eyes, “I want it back though, it’s just until you can get her her own.”

“Right, thank you Sansa.” He takes the ring and turns back to Arya who hasn’t taken her eyes from Gendry’s since he bent down, “What do you say Arry, will you marry me?”

Arya only continues to stare, saying nothing, a smile so wide and so beautiful he can barely believe she’s real.

After a moment of silence, he starts to think that maybe this wasn’t the best time to ask such an important question, “Is that a no?”

This seems to break whatever trance she was under and he breathes a sigh of relief when she smacks his shoulder, “Yes, of course it’s a yes, you idiot.”

He couldn’t stop the smile on his face even if he wanted to as he slides the ring on her left hand, back on his feet in an instant, pulling her into his arms and off the floor, spinning around with delightful laughter, the world disappearing around them as they ride out this moment in their own cocoon of love and adoration.

Coming back down from their high, reality fades back in as the room erupts in applause and cheers, witnessing the impromptu proposal for the guest of honor.

“Congratulations, little wolf!” Tormund wraps her in a signature bear hug, squeezing the life out of her much like he does with anyone he hugs, involuntarily of course.

Once back on her feet, she wraps her arms around Gendry’s waist, resting her head against his arm as Olenna Tyrell address the room in the midst of celebration, “Please join me in a toast to the happy couple.” Glasses now raised, she continues with a simple, “To Arya and Gendry!”

The words repeated in a loud chant as glasses ting and liquid flows.

As the excitement dies down, Gendry, with Arya still wrapped in his arms, turns back to her brother and sister who are smiling warmly at him, “You know, we’ve heard a lot about you Gendry, but just like my little sister here felt, that introduction was certainly unexpected.”

Arya laughs at the red head, “Yeah, no shit. But honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted anything else. You never cease to amaze or surprise me.”

“I sort of surprised myself with that one. I was so nervous about meeting your family, I just kept thinking of different things I could say to get them to understand how much I love you and it just kind of came out. It’s not totally out of the blue though, because I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, so I just stopped delaying the inevitable.”

“Of you proposing or us getting engaged, because how could you be so sure I’d even say yes?”

He looks at her as though she’s lost her damn mind, because he never had a doubt that her answer would be anything other than a resounding yes because he knows her too well.

“You’re kidding me, right? You’re not exactly going to be getting rid of me anytime soon so if you your initial answer was no, I’d just keeping asking until you changed your mind. I’ve been told I’m a stubborn bastard, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.” She grabs his cheek bringing his face down to hers for a soundless kiss that literally takes his breath away, only breaking apart when the cheers and whistles steal the moment.

“Alright, alright. We get it.” Everyone laughs, keeping the atmosphere pleasant and radiantly happy.

Hattie and Podrick join them now after Sansa, Bran and Theon return to the bar for more drinks, “For the love of my sanity, please don’t turn into one of those old boring married couples that never has any fun and just stay at home sharing a joint social media account. You do have a plethora of friends that are willing to hang out with you willing.”

Podrick shakes his hand as Hattie brings Arya in for a tight hug, “Fuck that, you’re not getting rid of us, like ever. And if you guys answered the phone every now and then you’d know that we wanted to have you over for dinner at our place.”

Hattie seems to blush profusely, something that is rarely seen on the badass MI6 agent, “Sorry about that love, we’ve just been uh, busy. Of course, we’d love to do dinner.”

Podrick clears his throat before speaking, “How about an engagement dinner with everyone, maybe somewhere a little less, _secured_?” He glances over at the security guards throughout the room, before meeting Gendry’s blue eyes once more.

“I really like the sound of that, actually.”

“Agreed.”

Ygritte saunters over to them, a confidence beaming from her every cell, “Sorry to interrupt, but I need this one for a bit, I’ll bring her back shortly.”

She grabs Arya by the arm who mouths a silent, _I’m sorry_ , as she’s dragged away by the wild ginger, headed straight for where King Renly is talking to Jon Snow and Arianne Martell. Strange.

As he flows through the crowds of friends and family, each stopping to show their love and support for the engagement, Arya returns to his side after only ten or so minutes with Ygritte and the King. 

Everything falls back into place now that Arya is by his side again, “Hey, everything okay?”

He pulls her to the side of the room, away from prying eyes but from the looks of it, everyone is too into their cups to even notice their absence in the first place.

“Yes, everything is great.” She’s reluctant to continue so he stays silent until she’s ready, “I was just offered a job, a position on Jon and Ygritte’s team continuing their work in taking down high value targets that escape the clutches of MI6. It may have started with the sole purpose of taking down Melisandre and Stannis, but the King wants it to continue, under the radar of any other government agency. He seems to think it’s more effective that way.”

Even now with an engagement, they haven’t really discussed their careers beyond the mission they just completed, a new found freedom being their only concern, and despite him turning down another chance at a position at MI6 with Davos leading the way, he wants Arya to do whatever makes her happy.

With his heart thumping in his ears, he’s eager to know how she responded to such a big offer, “And?”

She looks around the room, grey eyes stopping on each and every guest, taking them in, before turning back to him and smiling brightly.

***

_One Year Later_

With a tray of coffees and a bag of donuts in each hand, Arya appears at their table outside their favorite local café as Gendry goes over the file spread out in front of him.

As she sets their drinks and food down, he packs up the documents, leaving out the only important one they need, the list of criminal activity and descriptive information of their latest bounty.

He absentmindedly takes a sip of the coffee, and hisses when it burns his tongue and throat on the way down.

Arya laughs and shakes her head bemusedly, while muttering to herself, “ _I married an idiot_.”

It’s then his reverie is broken, and he looks up, only mildly offended at the jape, “I guess that makes you _Mrs. Idiot_ , then huh?”

“Stupid. Just tell me you’ve found something that will help us track down this guy.”

After Arya was offered a job, that she turned down, she happily expressed her interest in partnering up with him and becoming a bounty hunter herself, agreeing with his sentiment that their skills would still remain useful and sharp, while helping people in need.

Now most bounty hunters are only after the money, bringing in scumbags who owe a debt or jumped bail, Arya and Gendry navigate towards a different goal in those that hire them. Yes, the money is good, but they like to focus on helping people right a wrong, rather than just a quick payday.

Their latest hire is a renowned gym owner, who also happens to run a fight club under the books who’s willing to pay a wealthy amount to anyone that can track down one of his fighters that has gone AWOL with a half a million dollars that was supposed to go towards the other winners in the club, mostly soldiers coming home from war and trying to earn a fresh start to a new life as a civilian. He made off with the money from the owner’s safe after his last fight and now he wants Arya and Gendry to bring him and the money back without causing alarm or any more damage other than what’s already been done.

“It says that he’s been known to frequent the pizza joint just across the street, but we’ve been coming here for weeks now and have yet to see any sign of him. I told you we should just call in a favor…”

Arya shakes her head stubbornly, “No, I told you I didn’t want to use any outside resources, I know we can do this without involving anyone else.”

Gendry sighs and leans back in his chair before running his hands over his stubbled face, “I know, you’re right. I won’t bring it up again, love.”

The waitress, Mila, comes outside then while refilling coffee cups and taking empty dishes back inside on her tray. They’ve come here so often now that they’re familiar with most of the staff, Mila included and vice versa, “Hey, you guys are Bounty Hunters, right? Sorry, you just overhear a lot since people don’t understand what privacy means anymore.”

Gendry chuckles while Arya looks slightly offended at the comment, as if it’s directed to them specifically somehow but he knows that’s not the case in this situation, “Anyway, if I’m guessing correctly,” she picks the trash up from their table but makes no move to refill their cups, “you’re looking for this guy here,” she points to the picture laid out in front of Gendry on the table, “and since he’s right over there,” she nods her head across the street as both Arya and Gendry turn to do the same, and damn if their target wasn’t standing just outside the pizza place they’ve been staking out for three weeks now, “I just figured you wouldn’t be needing a refill.”

She walks off as their eyes remain on their target, talking to a woman that’s about to get inside a red sedan on the passenger side.

“Twenty says he spots us and runs in say about thirty seconds.” Arya smiles wickedly as the words spill from her lips.

“Nah, it’ll take him at least a full minute, you’re on.” Gendry smiles back just as beautifully dangerous as she does and when about twenty seconds pass and the target’s eyes meet their gaze and begins to walk quickly away from his companion, Gendry realizes he needs to stop underestimating his wife’s brilliant Stark intuition.

Arya quickly stuffs the papers into her bag and gets up from the table, “Told you!”

“Yeah yeah, shut up and run.”

He says as he follows her away from the café and onto the bustling city streets, her only response being a middle finger gestured proudly in his direction followed by a shout of laughter as they take off after the target.

She’s quick but he’s learned long ago that he must be quick too in order to keep up with her. Still, after all these years, having her back comes second nature to him as he runs after her, her running after the target, always first, always in the lead.

They gain on him quickly as Arya chances a look back at him, pride in her smile and in her shining steel eyes and pride swelling in his chest that he can call her his own. His best friend, his wife, his whole world.

He’ll follow her anywhere, always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you, like me when I wrote it, read this like a movie, these would be the end credits-->https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0fGh0B6gUY

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how long this one will be and I'll update when I can.  
> The rating will mostly likely change as will the warnings. ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading. Kudos and Comments keep me going! ♥


End file.
